pain

I UK [peɪn] / US noun
Word forms "pain":
singular pain plural pains
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1) [countable/uncountable] a feeling that you have in a part of your body when you are hurt or ill

chest/stomach pains

Harry has been enduring considerable back pain for a number of years.

pain in:

I'm having terrible pains in my chest.

ease/relieve pain:

The fresh air had done nothing to ease the pain Kelly felt in her head.

cause (someone) pain:

An old injury was causing him intense pain.

in pain:

He heard Leo scream in pain.

be in pain:

I don't think she's in any pain.

a sharp pain (= a sudden strong pain):

It was a sharp pain, on his left side, below his ribs.

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Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with pain
▪  excruciating, intense, searing, severe, sharp, stabbing, terrible, unbearable Verbs frequently used with pain as the object ▪  alleviate, cause, ease, endure, experience, feel, inflict, lessen, relieve, soothe, suffer

2) [uncountable] a feeling of being very upset or unhappy

Dealing with the subject sensitively can help prevent a lot of pain.

cause (someone) pain:

The incident must have caused my parents great pain.

inflict pain on someone:

He had no idea of the pain he had inflicted on her.

the pain of something:

He found it hard to cope with the pain of being separated from his children.

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be a pain (in the neck) — very informal to be very annoying. You can also say be a pain in the bum or arse but these expressions are impolite

You're being a real pain!

go to/take great pains — to do something with a lot of care or effort

I had taken great pains to make the evening perfect.

She always takes great pains with her lectures.

on/under pain of something — used for threatening someone

I told her on pain of death not to tell Pete that I was involved.

- be at pains to do something

- for your pains

- no pain, no gain

II UK [peɪn] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "pain":
present tense I/you/we/they pain he/she/it pains present participle paining past tense pained past participle pained

1) to make someone feel very upset or unhappy

It was clear the subject pained him.

it pains someone to do something:

It pained her to think that they would never talk to each other again.

it pains someone that:

It pains me that we're such hypocrites about it.

2) formal to make someone feel physical pain

His head still pains him from time to time where he got that knock.