I. ˈpān noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French peine, from Latin poena, from Greek poinē payment, penalty; akin to Greek tinein to pay, tinesthai to punish, Avestan kaēnā revenge, Sanskrit cayate he revenges
Date: 14th century
1. : punishment
2.
a. : usually localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury) ; also : a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leading to evasive action
b. : acute mental or emotional distress or suffering : grief
3. plural : the throes of childbirth
4. plural : trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something
was at pain s to reassure us
5. : one that irks or annoys or is otherwise troublesome — often used in such phrases as pain in the neck
• pain·less -ləs adjective
• pain·less·ly adverb
• pain·less·ness noun
•
- on pain of
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt
2. archaic : to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion
intransitive verb
1. archaic : suffer
2. : to give or have a sensation of pain