I. ˈpān noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English peyne, paine, from Old French peine, from Latin poena penalty, punishment, from Greek poinē penalty, payment; akin to Greek tinein to pay, tērein to guard, timē price, value, honor, Sanskrit cayate he punishes
1. pains plural : punishments — now used chiefly in the phrase pains and penalties
passing acts of attainder and of pains and penalties — T.E.May
there was the principle that civil courts may not add to the pains and penalties of crimes — B.N.Cardozo
2.
a. : a state of physical or mental lack of well-being or physical or mental uneasiness that ranges from mild discomfort or dull distress to acute often unbearable agony, may be generalized or localized, and is the consequence of being injured or hurt physically or mentally or of some derangement of or lack of equilibrium in the physical or mental functions (as through disease), and that usually produces a reaction of wanting to avoid, escape, or destroy the causative factor and its effects
was in constant pain
her pain , which had been merely a dull ache, was suddenly as keen as if a blade had been driven into her wound — Ellen Glasgow
perhaps all physical existence is a weary pain to man — T.E.Lawrence
b. : a sensation or feeling (as a sharp twinge, dull ache, generalized sense of physical or mental distress) or a complex of sensations or feelings that are produced by such a state or that are produced by some other factor either in isolation or in succession
had no pain
the pain of a twisted ankle
sharp pains
dreaded the pain of separation from them
his conduct in regard to them caused me the deepest pain — W.M.Thackeray
the pain she had felt at those humiliating words — Morley Callaghan
c. : a sensation varying in quality from prick to ache that is commonly aroused by a stimulus which injures or nearly injures the skin or tissues, is usually but not always unpleasant, and leads to avoiding reactions
3. pains plural : the protracted series of involuntary contractions of the uterine musculature that constitute the major factor in parturient labor and that are often accompanied by considerable pain
her pains had begun
4. : trouble, care, or effort taken for the accomplishment of something — usually used in plural but archaically often as sing. in construction
has obviously taken great pains to study the practical details — Nancie Matthews
no pains were spared in the workmanship — American Guide Series: New York City
lavished their skill and pains — Willa Cather
for his pains he incurred the enmity of the people — American Guide Series: Louisiana
has been at pains to avoid associating himself with this recommendation — Walter Goodman
was at pains to explain away his dangerous subject — Richard Mayne
goes to pains to impress — Lucy Crockett
was at pains to emphasize the nonpolitical character of the visit — H.J.Morgenthau
takes that pains about it — John Locke
5.
a. : something that irks or annoys or that is otherwise troublesome : something provokingly displeasing
she's a real pain
b. : a reaction of antipathy to something irksome or annoying or provokingly displeasing : a sensation or feeling of annoyance
you give me a pain
Synonyms:
ache , pang , throe , twinge , stitch : these nouns all indicate a bodily or mental sensation causing often acute discomfort or suffering. pain is the most comprehensive in that it may indicate bodily disturbance ranging from a localized discomfort to a general raging physical agony, although generally it implies a more or less acute sensation as from a cut, burn, or more severe injury
a pain in the finger
chest pains
his face twisted with pain
my craving to hear from her was at times a gnawing pain — Kenneth Roberts
ache commonly implies a steady, usually dull, generalized pain
a head ache
an ache in the back from bending over all day
the dull ache of his disappointment — Agnes S. Turnbull
: pang suggests a short sharp pain
the pangs of toothache
the pangs of grief
throe is a pain, usually (and in the plural) intermittent, violent, and convulsive, characteristic of a process as that of labor in childbirth
the throes of retching
the throes of civil war — S.W.Chapman
twinge is a momentary shooting or darting pain especially causing muscular contraction
twinges of pain in his back and shoulder — Walter O'Meara
a twinge of pity
a twinge of conscience
stitch suggests a brief sharp pain that runs through a part of the body (usually the side) like a needle
a stitch in the side forced him to drop out of the race
Synonym: see in addition effort .
•
- on pain of
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English peynen, from French pener, from peine pain
transitive verb
1.
a. : to cause to experience pain : inflict pain on : make suffer : cause distress to : hurt
a nagging shoulder injury that pained him for four months — W.B.Furlong
it pains me to cast doubt on the competence of my friend — Alfred Burmeister
b. : to cause a feeling of annoyance in : irk , provoke
don't pain me by talking like that — Thomas Hardy
it pains him to have to go there
2. archaic : to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion for the accomplishment of something
still pain themselves to write Latin verses — J.R.Lowell
intransitive verb
1.
a. archaic : to undergo pain : suffer
the patient that so is paining — Calisto and Melebea
b. of the body or a bodily part : to be in a condition that produces a sensation of pain : give or have a sensation of pain : be sore
soaked her feet in hot water because they were paining
could hardly think, his head pained so
2. : to cause pain
said that it pained when he moved his arm