pain1 nounpain2 verb
painpain1 /peɪn/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 
WORD ORIGINpain1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French peine, from Latin poena, from Greek poine ‘payment, punishment’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A slipped disc can cause severe back pain.
- He told the doctor he was suffering from chest pains.
- In college, Durban began to suffer from headches and pain in his arms and legs
- Kerry had to drive herself to the hospital when the labor pains began.
- The pain is getting worse.
- The drug is often used to ease the pain of dying cancer patients.
- the pleasures and pains of trying to earn money as a writer
- You won't feel any pain during the operation.
- Dash put his head in his hands, as if in pain.
- If unusual pain or symptoms occur consult physician.
- It is state officials who are responsible for finding victims and easing their pain with financial help.
- Over time, the pain usually lessens and goes away, but this may take several months to several years.
- These are the truly intractable pains and they are called intractable because they respond to no known form of therapy.
- They simply tell us that some one has some very specific desires, aches and pains.
- Two days later, after refusing to eat and complaining of stomach pain, Jimmy was hospitalized.
THESAURUS
noun [countable, uncountable] the feeling when part of your body hurts: · A broken leg can cause a lot of pain.· He felt a sharp pain in his chest.
noun [countable, uncountable] a continuous pain, especially one that is not very bad. Most commonly used in compounds such as headache, toothache, and backache: · I felt an ache in my back after decorating all day.· Driving gives me a headache.· I’ve got stomach ache.· Do you have earache?
noun [countable] a sudden slight pain that comes and then disappears quickly: · When I bent down I felt a twinge in my back.
noun [uncountable] formal an uncomfortable feeling in your body, or a slight pain: · The procedure takes five minutes and only causes slight discomfort.
noun [uncountable] a feeling of great pain, or a situation in which you feel a lot of pain: · the agony of childbirth· I was in agony by the time I got to the hospital.· It was agony (=very painful)getting up out of bed.
noun [uncountable] continuous physical or mental pain, which makes someone very unhappy: · I just wanted someone to put an end to my suffering.· the suffering of the earthquake victims
Longman Language Activatorpain the feeling you have when part of your body hurts: · The pain is getting worse.· You won't feel any pain during the operation.· He told the doctor he was suffering from chest pains.a pain in your chest/leg/back etc: · In college, Durban began to suffer from headaches and pain in his arms and legssevere/excruciating pain (=very bad pain): · A slipped disc can cause severe back pain.ease the pain (=make you feel less pain): · The drug is often used to ease the pain of dying cancer patients.labor pains (American) / labour pains (British) (=before giving birth): · Kerry had to drive herself to the hospital when the labor pains began.
a pain that continues for a long time but is not very sharp: · The ache in my leg muscles had almost gone.dull ache (=a continuous annoying ache): · Lisa felt a dull ache spreading up her arm.
a continuous pain in a part of your body: have/get a headache: · I always get a headache when I've been using the computer.have toothache/backache/stomach ache British: · I'm not surprised you have stomach ache - you eat too fast.have a toothache/a backache/a stomach ache American: · I had a backache after fifteen minutes of shovelling snow.a splitting headache (=a very bad headache): · We were planning to go out last night, but Marcia had a splitting headache.
many small pains which you feel at the same time, especially when you move, for example as the result of too much exercise or growing old: · Grandma said that apart from a few aches and pains she was feeling quite well.· Jenny ran slower and slower, complaining all the way of various aches and pains.
a sudden sharp pain which makes your body or part of your body shake uncontrollably for a short time: · He lay on the ground, breathless and frightened, waiting for the next spasm.spasm of pain: · A spasm of pain twisted Cheviot's face.muscle spasm: · The muscle spasms started in his lower left leg and spread upwards.
a sudden but not severe pain that comes and then disappears quickly: · I'd had the odd twinge now and again, but my heart-attack was totally unexpected.twinge of pain/rheumatism etc: · George felt a twinge of pain in his ankle from when he had slipped on the ice.
when a part of your body feels painful a part of your body that feels painful makes you feel pain: · Jim's knee was still painful where he had fallen on it.· The child suffered painful stomach cramps and vomiting after drinking one of the contaminated drinks.
a part of your body that is sore hurts when you touch or use it, and is often red: · His eyes looked red and sore, as if he had been rubbing them.· Martin was unable to score at all in the game, complaining of a sore knee.sore throat: · She missed more than ten performances that year due to a persistent sore throat and cough.
a part of the body that is tender is painful when it is touched: · My mouth was tender and swollen where he had hit me.· Now I'm going to press down on several places around your knee, and you tell me when it feels tender.
if a part of your body hurts , you feel pain in it, for example because you have hit it or cut it, or because you are ill: · My neck felt stiff and my shoulder hurt.· I fell and banged my knee, and it really hurts.
if a part of your body aches , you feel a pain in it that is continuous but not very strong - use this about pains in your arms, legs, or back, or in your head or stomach: · My arms ached from carrying all the groceries.· She felt hot and her head was beginning to ache.· I went to dance class last week, and I've been aching ever since.
to hurt with a sudden sharp pain for a short time - use this about your eyes or your skin: · The smoke made our eyes sting.· His cheek stung where his mother had slapped him.
if a part of your body throbs you feel pain that seems to get stronger and weaker in a regular repeated pattern: · By late afternoon my head was throbbing, and I couldn't see straight.· He limped heavily, nursing his throbbing ankle.a throbbing pain: · I felt a throbbing pain in my left shin, and pulled up my trouser leg to see what was causing it.
to feel pain to have a pain in a particular part of your body: · She came into casualty complaining that she had a pain in her side.· The next morning, after feeling a sharp pain in his fingers, Gonzalez was treated for frostbite at City Hospital.
to be experiencing a lot of pain: · Young children cry if they are in pain, if they are hungry or if they are left alone.· Someone was crying, as if they were in pain.be in constant pain (=be in pain all the time): · Some of these patients are very sick and in constant pain.be in a lot of pain/be in great pain: · Caroline's been in a lot of pain since the operation.
to feel a lot of very severe pain: · He was in agony. We had to carry him up the stairs.· My mother lived for four more days, but she was in agony.
when something makes someone feel pain if something or someone hurts you, they make you feel pain: · Did it hurt when they stuck the needle in?· Stop it - you're hurting me.
to cause a sudden sharp pain on your skin or in your eyes for a short time: · The antiseptic might sting a little.· The smoke stung my eyes.
if a substance irritates a part of your body, especially your eyes or your skin, it makes it become sore: · The pollen irritated my eyes, which were red and streaming with tears.· Nineteen percent of women will still use a beauty product, even if it irritates their skin.
if pain or a particular movement is agonizing or excruciating , it is extremely strong so that you are almost unable to move or do something: · The pain moved to my elbow, and it became agonizing to even lift my arm.· The excruciating pain in his kidneys made him gasp.
especially British, informal if something you do or something someone does to you is agony , it hurts a lot: · It was agony having my tooth removed - I don't think the dentist knew what he was doing.· Climbing five flights of stairs with all those bags was absolute bloody agony.
when there is no pain if something does not hurt , it is not painful: · I twisted my ankle a little, but it doesn't hurt.· Don't worry - it's a very quick procedure and it won't hurt.
something that is painless does not hurt - use this especially when someone is worried that it might hurt: · The operation is simple and painless.
spoken to not feel any pain at all: · Don't worry about the injection - you won't feel a thing.· The guys who were fighting were so drunk, I'm sure they didn't feel a thing.
difficult to do or understand · That's a good question, but it's a difficult one to answer.difficult for · The reading exercise was very difficult for most of the children.difficult to see/hear/describe etc · The insects are so small that they are difficult to see without using a microscope.it is difficult (for somebody) to do something · It's very difficult to find people who are willing to do the job.find it difficult to do something · Until now, patients often found it difficult to get information about their rights. make it difficult for somebody to do something · My mother's illness makes it difficult for her to walk.
not easy to do or understand. Hard is less formal than difficult: · I thought the exam was really hard.· The hardest thing about moving to a new place was meeting new people.it is hard (for somebody) to do something: · It's hard to see the stage from here.· It was hard for me to understand her - her accent was very strong.find it hard to do something: · I find it hard to believe that he didn't know the gun was loaded.
very difficult to do or deal with - use this about jobs, decisions, questions, or problems: · The judge asked the lawyers on both sides some very tough questions.· The governor is trying to show voters that he's able to deal with the toughest issues facing Ohio today.
spoken use this about something difficult you have been asked to do, especially when you do not think it is likely you will be able to do it: · "Can you finish the work by Friday?'' "Sounds like a tall order to me, but I'll see what I can do.''
spoken use this to tell someone that something is much more difficult than they think it is: · Talking calmly to a screaming child sounds like a good idea, but any parent will tell you it's easier said than done.
: not the easiest...to do spoken use this to say that it is difficult to do something: · I'll drive you there -- it's not the easiest place to get to if you don't have a car.· I tried to explain it to him, but he's not the easiest person to talk to.
use this to say that something is difficult to do or make: · Finding a solution to the present crisis in the region is no easy task.not an easy task/job/decision: · The roads are often dangerous, and getting food to the villages has not been an easy task.
spoken something that is difficult and annoying to do or deal with: · It was a pain - I had to read more than 200 articles - but I learned a lot from it.· Getting across town at rush hour is a real pain in the neck.
to hurt or injure someone to cause physical harm to someone and make them feel pain: · Let go of my arm! You're hurting me!· Dan was a good man. He'd never hurt anyone deliberately.hurt somebody with something: · Put the stick down, Terry. You might hurt someone with it.
to cause physical harm to someone, for example in an accident or fight: · The bomb killed eleven people and injured 55.badly/seriously/critically injure: · Several shots were fired, critically injuring three women.
to injure someone with a weapon such as a knife or gun, causing cuts, bleeding etc: · Two boys were on trial for wounding a sixteen-year-old girl with a revolver.wound somebody in the chest/knee etc: · The bullet wounded him in the shoulder.
formal to deliberately hurt a person or an animal: · Inflicting pain as a means of teaching children discipline is wrong.inflict pain on: · Most drugs can be produced quite successfully without inflicting pain on helpless animals.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives
acute pain He was crazed with grief after the death of his mother. Both the girls were doubled up with laughter. He drank some alcohol to dull the pain. He’ll give you something to ease the pain. a stress-free life Lee had a nagging pain in her back. Iona reached the final, but she had to go through the pain barrier to get there. the pain and suffering caused by road accidents The pain was almost unbearable. He lay writhing in pain. Clare yelled in pain as she fell. The water was hotter than she had expected, and she gave an involuntary yelp.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· Later that evening, the pain was really bad.
· I woke up with a terrible pain in my side.
· Ever since the accident, Mike’s suffered from severe back pain.
(=very severe)· The pain in my eye was excruciating.
(=short but severe)· She felt a sharp pain in the back of her throat.
(=not severe)· I’ve got a slight pain in my side.
(=a slight but continuous pain)· There was a dull pain in his lower jaw.
(=felt all the time)· Rob felt fine, apart from a nagging pain in his left wrist.
(=pain that you suffer from for long periods of time)· Many of the elderly patients suffer chronic pain.
(=a severe pain that goes from one part of your body to another)· The shooting pains in her arms and legs slowly began to die away.
(=very severe, as if you have been burnt)· His elbow struck the side of the table, sending a searing pain through his arm.
(=sharp and sudden)· Marcus heard a shot and felt a stabbing pain at the back of his ankle.
(=a pain that gets stronger and then weaker, in a steady continuous beat)· I’ve still got this throbbing pain in my leg.
· Many people suffer from back pain.
· Several of the hotel’s guests had persistent abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
· He couldn’t stand physical pain.
British English, labor pains American English (=felt by a woman at the time she is having a baby)· Becky was at work when labour pains began.
verbs· I’ve got a terrible pain in my stomach.
· The dentist told me that I wouldn’t feel any pain.
· Despite being in great pain, he managed to call for help.
· She suffers from chronic pain in her legs.
· The guards enjoyed inflicting pain on them.
(also alleviate pain formal) (=make it less severe)· Exercise can help to relieve lower back pain.
formal· Animals caught in the trap experience great pain before they die.
(=say that you have a pain in a part of your body)· After we finished our run, Tom complained of pains in his chest.
· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor.
(also the pain subsides formal) (=becomes less severe)· He lay still until the pain had subsided to a dull ache.
(=keeps starting and stopping)· The pain comes and goes but it’s never too severe.
pain + NOUN (=a drug or treatment that makes pain less severe)· These drugs offer effective pain relief for the very sick.
(=their ability to bear pain)· Everyone has a different pain threshold.
phrases· Everyone has a few aches and pains when they get older.
COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘big pain’. Say terrible pain or severe pain.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=slight feelings of pain that are not considered to be serious) Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right.
Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right. acute pain· He knew that he couldn’t bear the pain much longer.
· The decision brought him great relief.
· The infection can cause severe pain.
· There are a number of causes of chest pain.
He was crazed with grief after the death of his mother.· A rock was loose and he fell with a sharp cry of surprise.
Both the girls were doubled up with laughter. He drank some alcohol to dull the pain. He’ll give you something to ease the pain. (=one that shows you are in pain or feeling upset)· A pained expression crossed Rory’s face when he saw them together.
a stress-free life· I needed a pain-killing injection in my elbow.
· She felt an intense pain in her right shoulder.
Lee had a nagging pain in her back. Iona reached the final, but she had to go through the pain barrier to get there.· She bravely endured great physical pain.
· What’s the best way of relieving back pain?
· We could hear her screaming in pain.
· My screams of terror awoke my parents.
· He was in severe pain and unable to call for help.
(=continuous short pains passing through your body)
· He complained of acute stomach pains.
the pain and suffering caused by road accidents (=your ability or inability to deal with pain)· ‘Will it hurt?’ ‘That all depends on your pain threshold.’
The pain was almost unbearable. He lay writhing in pain. Clare yelled in pain as she fell. The water was hotter than she had expected, and she gave an involuntary yelp.· There was a reduction in her stool frequency, an improvement in her abdominal pain, and a less productive cough.· Some of them lost weight, but mainly because their abdominal pain was so intense they did not want to eat.· During an ectopic pregnancy, the foetus damages or ruptures surrounding tissue as it grows, which causes abdominal pain.· Doctors now routinely use super-sensitive blood and urine tests to screen women suffering from any lower abdominal pain.· I had barely dropped off to sleep when I was suddenly awakened b sharp abdominal pains.· There was abdominal pain without a doubt and that nagging temperature of 102.5° - that was damn like a wire.· They were also asked if they had ever consulted a doctor about recurrent bowel symptoms or abdominal pain.
· This was a drug that would ease the acute pain that crucifixion brought to the victim.· Three fine calves had shown symptoms of acute gastric pain, I had treated them and they had died.· One of the most promising areas to find answers is in the treatment of acute pain.· They may suffer sickness, vomiting or acute pain, but they do not die.· It is useful to distinguish acute from chronic pain.· Chronic pain is continuous and unassociated with the physiological responses to acute pain such as sweating and tachycardia.
· Walking can improve your posture and may prevent lower back pain.· One was written for a woman who said she suffered from insomnia and lower back pain.· Read in studio Still to come on Central News, living with back pain.· After the 1994 Olympics, Grinkov struggled with back pain, but the couple continued to skate as professionals.· He is an engineer who came to study the spine because of his own back pains.· Another side effect of flying in cramped quarters is back pain.· Therefore they may believe that their back pain, for example, is physical rather than addictive in origin.· And as Tavris has pointed out, chronic lower back pain can cause depression and irritability.
· They paint a dismal picture for patients suffering from chronic pain.· I have had chronic low-back pain, with occasional flare-ups of worse pain, for at least five years.· The underlying mechanisms may also be relevant to some chronic neuropathic pain states.· Patients with muscle-contraction headaches often report chronic pain of long duration.· Physiological addiction may occur after repeated use of analgesics for relief from chronic pain.· And as Tavris has pointed out, chronic lower back pain can cause depression and irritability.· Paradoxical pain Editor, - David Bowsher defines paradoxical pain as chronic nociceptive pain that does not respond to morphine.· Ones that enhance the serotonin effects are often helpful in chronic pain disorders.
· The faces are horribly contorted as if suffocating or in great pain, and their eyes seem to follow anyone who passes.· The enemy naturally realized this fully and took great pains to avoid the consequences.· He was obviously ill and in great pain.· Each additional acre, therefore, would be won at greater pain.· The wounded Commando on the ground, obviously in great pain, is an incentive for us to kill them.· Many Latina celebrities take great pains to appear as non-Latina as possible.· Macmillan took great pains to husband his energies.· But this was for Alvin a rare chance to see the child whose birth had caused him such great pain.
· Walking can improve your posture and may prevent lower back pain.· One was written for a woman who said she suffered from insomnia and lower back pain.· Doctors now routinely use super-sensitive blood and urine tests to screen women suffering from any lower abdominal pain.· I have a very low threshold for pain.· And as Tavris has pointed out, chronic lower back pain can cause depression and irritability.· Examples are treating otitis media with antibiotics and treatments for lower back pain.· But no one would think to call a sprained ankle or lower back pain a mental disorder.
· He has endured mental anguish, mind-breaking guilts and lacerating physical pain.· I eat faster, learn to go on less sleep, can endure more physical pain.· It sort of goes in tandem with recovering from the physical pain.· Painful emotion in the prosurvival chain can suppress physical pain in the contrasurvival engrams.· After all, he detested physical pain and discomfort - and this excursion had promised both.· All the conditions that made physical pain greatest applied to her.· Now they were bloodcurdling as of an animal in intense physical pain.· The engram bank becomes severely distorted by painful emotion and the areas of painful emotion be-come severely distorted by physical pain elsewhere.
· He took his left hand off the throttle and punched himself in the face. Real pain drove out fear.· I could not believe it-he had inflicted real pain on himself.· He's beginning to be a real pain.· She was in no real pain or distress.· The real pain is likely to be in the Midlands.· It is all one thing, a ruined city of trivia where people feel real pain.· Yet ... yet he hadn't felt any real pain, had he?· This whole capital punishment thing is becoming a real pain in the neck for a civilized society.
· This is a severe pleural pain of sudden onset, accompanied by fever and severe difficulty in breathing.· A: It may take good detective skills to determine the cause of sudden severe ear pain in a healthy child.· Afterwards he suffered severe stomach pains.· Gastric or other visceral crises with severe pain are sometimes a part of the syndrome.· Barbara Garnett, 74, was rushed in after complaining of severe stomach pains.· Kumi was 29 days old when she was euthanized after it was found she had kidney failure and was in severe pain.· Her main complaint was a severe pain which radiated to the left eyeball.· In fact, an ear infection alone can cause sudden severe pain as fluid builds up in the middle ear.
· It was more than a headache; it was like a sharp pain right through the brain.· A loud buzz erupted above his head, and sharp pains tore at his cheeks and scalp.· A sharp pain twisted in Theda's guts.· He was very agitated. Sharp pains racked his wasting body.· The former Scarborough player felt a sharp pain in a knee against Scunthorpe United.· According to court documents, Arlington was sleeping in her home when she was awakened by a sharp head pain.· And suddenly a sharp pain as if stabbed in the gut.· Then one day at school I got a sharp pain in my stomach.
· The pretty presenter was taken by ambulance to London's Charing Cross Hospital at 6 am with terrible stomach pains.· It was five minutes before he stopped yelling, before he started to absorb the terrible pain that burnt through his flesh.· She looked into his eyes and saw terrible pain and inconsolable grief.· In the terrible pain and surprise of the moment, both my pistols went off and fell from my hands.· He wanted to, but to be so close would expose him to that terrible pain of loss.· And after about three days, I was in terrible pain and started to bleed a lot.
NOUN· This patient had a history of chest pain, although a negative exercise test had been recorded 7.5 months before the episode.· The patient may or may not have palpitations or chest pain associated with the attack.· She returned to the hospital in the early hours of Saturday 4 July complaining of increased chest pains.· I had the feeling I was disappointing him, and it filled me with a dull continuous inner chest pain.· The patient should have had central chest pain in the classic distribution for at least 15 minutes.· Was there any chest pain, palpitation, or shortness of breath just before consciousness was lost?· The right kind of exercise can cure back pain, headaches and chest pain.· Sore muscles are not the only possibility to explain cough and chest pain.
· It takes about 20 minutes to work and can give almost total pain relief.· The advantage of this approach is that pain relief may be obtained without causing disturbance of sensation over the face and cornea.· Objective assessment of pain in necessary to ensure adequate pain relief.· Give drugs regularly and let the doctor know if you think more pain relief would be helpful.· Particular care needs to be taken over: i. accidents or surgical procedures where anaesthetics and appropriate pain relief must be given.· Such forecasts are like aspirins: they have no long term effect but do bring immediate pain relief.· So, next time these problems come along, you can be sure of fast, effective pain relief with Calpol.· Guidelines are suggested for pain relief and should be tailored to the individual patient's needs.
· The pretty presenter was taken by ambulance to London's Charing Cross Hospital at 6 am with terrible stomach pains.· Two days later, after refusing to eat and complaining of stomach pain, Jimmy was hospitalized.· Afterwards he suffered severe stomach pains.· This plant, he explained, cured stomach pains and promoted circulation of the blood.· Barbara Garnett, 74, was rushed in after complaining of severe stomach pains.· People eating contaminated whipped cream quickly become ill with stomach pains.· Whilst in Fort William she was taken ill with stomach pains.· Digestive system Stomach pain, bloating, belching, intermittent diarrhoea.
VERB· I hate that I cause her so much pain.· I want my speeches to go from causing pain to feeling it.· Although of course they still cause considerable pain to any animal caught in them wild or domestic.· Rest: Stop the activity that caused the pain and lie down.· A vet, may be able to suggest some treatment to help ease tight muscles causing the pain.· Taking an extra dollar from a rich person would cause less pain than taking an extra dollar from a poor one.· If an exercise ever causes you any pain you must stop immediately.· You may experience sleep difficulties caused by pain associated with surgery or other medical conditions such as arthritis.
· Morphine and its related narcotics have proved extremely useful in their ability to control pain.· All I could do was control the pain.· Aside from purely humanitarian reasons, there are other more practical reasons for aiming to control pain.· Our results show that poorly controlled surgical pain significantly reduces tissue-oxygen tension.· Wounds healed with little fever or discharge and patients seldom needed opium to control post-operative pain.· Doctors may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs to control both inflammation and pain.
· He cried out in pain and stumbled back against the wall.· Weary was crying because of horrible pains in his feet.· Sonny began to cry from pain and fear.· Consequently, it produced more smoke than flames and Ridley cried out in pain.· He held his stomach and cried out in pain.· He increased the pressure on her wrist causing her to cry out in pain and to drop the glass.· The boat seemed to be crying out in pain, like an arthritic suddenly called upon to use weak muscles.
· It helps to ease my pain, even though you aren't hearing me.· Knowing this should help to ease your pain and anguish.· Global marketing; big drugs companies try to ease the pain of more competition by selling products worldwide.· If illness or injury strikes, medical professionals are normally close by, ready to ease pain and begin treatment.· It shows that positive policies to ease the pain of job-loss are now the norm rather than the exception.· It is state officials who are responsible for finding victims and easing their pain with financial help.· Her one hope was an operation to ease the pain.· On several occasions she was admitted to the hospital and spent several days there undergoing traction to ease the pain.
· It is necessary to experience anxiety, pain, and death because we are alive.· An involuntary action is set up which causes him to withdraw his hand even before he experiences any sensation of pain.· As the Old Bailey Chronicle reported, Smith experienced excessive pain when first turned off, but that ceased almost immediately.· Left fielder Billy Ashley experienced pain in his left hamstring Saturday while running out of the box.· When the patient's spasticity is controlled, he will no longer experience any pain.· But the company is experiencing growing pains as competition heats up.· At some time in our lives most of us will experience back pain - for some the consequences can be devastating.· Like them, she has experienced the pain of being fat, and can even joke about it.
· It was feeling pain, like me.· Shocked and feeling pain, I began to cry.· He felt the pain of her parents.· Don't feel the pain, the rust.· As he stood, he felt an odd wobbling pain on his right side, just above the hip.· Her hand came down on top of a large bunch of them and she felt a sudden stinging pain.· Auto dealers also may feel some pain as car sales will slow after two strong years.
· And he was carrying no thunder-and-fire stick to inflict pain on them.· The threat to inflict pain may trigger fears more damaging than the immediate sensation of pain.· She looked into his eyes, into their endless blackness, seeking silent reassurance that he would inflict no more pain.· You are just lying there with these people washing, dressing and at the same time inflicting pain on you.· He had to inflict pain on people he was told were enemies.· Bougies were inserted into the urethra, and these got bigger and bigger, inflicting great pain and considerable nausea.· We all think it wrong to inflict pain gratuitously, but our reason for obeying this principle is not that others do.
· However, any treatment to relieve pain and suffering may well be justified even if this leads to an earlier death.· Credited with everything from obliterating hot flashes to relieving pain, soy is one of the current health-media darlings.· Oral aspirin is difficult if the patient is nauseated and vomiting and the opiate given to relieve pain may delay gastric motility.· This doctor did not advise me of anything I could do to relieve the pain.· Near the end Joey Beauchamp relieved the pain with his second goal of the season.· Physiotherapy also helps prevent bed sores and relieves the pain that comes from staying in one position too long.· This can be uncomfortable and requires plenty of gnawing to relieve the growing pain.· Supporters called it an effort to help the ill obtain marijuana to relieve nausea, chronic pain and other maladies.
· The doctors said he suffered no pain and was very restful at the end.· And that he suffered pain and injury should not be diminished.· Miss Preston suffered muscle pain and stiffness after the attack.· Sister, I am suffering so much pain.· They suffered from pains in the head or indescribable sensations of uneasiness in the bowels.· Pippen is suffering from pain in his back, knees and ankles.· Afterwards he suffered severe stomach pains.· Two people may suffer pain from the same apparent origin; and yet their pain will not yield to the same analgesic.
· Suddenly like Matisse in a three-piece suit and consultant's white coat, I take infinite pains to keep this model alive.· But the Second Vatican Council had taken pains to correct this notion.· Do you think I'd take you to pain?· Roy Anderson took great pains to ensure there were no more surprises for any of the players in the unfolding drama.· Klausner and Rimer both took pains Tuesday not to criticize the consensus panel report, which has not been finalized.· Macmillan took great pains to husband his energies.· Congress takes great pains to avoid reminding voters that they themselves finance such mailings.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► no pain, no gainPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the pain barrier► shout in pain/anger/frustration etc► spare somebody the trouble/difficulty/pain etc (of doing something)
- All I got for my pains was a grunt that fitted well with his simian features.
- But I was laughed at for my pains.
- Feminists who recognize this contradiction are pilloried for their pains.
- He got a knighthood as well as a fortune for his pains - the first professional sportsman to do so.
- Instead, he got mystery for his pains, more and more mystery.
- Ryker pushed against the back of a man trying to get through and got an angry glare for his pains.
- The farmer took a cigarette for his pains and refused food.
- In effect, each is swearing to keep it on pain of death.
- Carla can be a pain sometimes, but she's been a good friend to me.
- Everyone thinks he's a pain in the neck.
- It's such a pain to have to drive downtown.
- Little brothers are such a pain in the neck!
- I hate the IVs, they hurt and are a pain.
- I imagined myself traveling the world, giving succor wherever there was pain and suffering.
- Instead all she could feel was pain.
- Just the starting it is a pain and the tipping it to get it started is a pain.
- She felt her strength returning, but there was pain in her eyes, chest and throat.
- When I entered it, I was pained with the cold.
- However, composers often go to great pains to keep to true intervals.
- Mr Lendrem has gone to great pains to establish one thing: that all of his preconceptions concerning bird behaviour are true.
- Mrs Henessy was at pains to say that she was fighting for a principle, not just for financial compensation.
- The U.S. military has been at pains not to offend its Muslim host.
- A year on they acknowledge the problems, but are at pains to defend the good name of their community.
- I was at pains to show how and why.
- Officials were at pains to point out that it was focused on resolving border disputes and promoting trade.
- She taught in a racially mixed school and was at pains to correct simple stereotypes and unthinking prejudices.
- She was at pains to tell me - several times - that her male friends were divided into two groups.
- These he is at pains to hide in order to promote the fiction of his rise from rags to riches.
- They are at pains to insist that they are not called to be a denomination.
- Writers in the early art and photographic journals were at pains to define its precise meaning.
- She turned her back again, her shoulders heaving, her eyes blind with tears.
- She held her breath on another quick dart of guilt.
- The words echoed unspoken in her brain, sending tiny darts of pain through her veins.
- As Grant hurried down the narrow concrete stairs, he felt the first warning stab of pain in his torn thigh muscle.
- I bit my arm and was grateful for the stab of pain, for the resistance of the bone beneath the skin.
- I felt a sharp stab of disappointment and was surprised and angry at myself.
- Instinctively he rolled in the saddle and felt the white-hot stab of pain as something sharp scored a line across his shoulders.
- She stretched, and little stabs of pain shot through her.
- Supposing, he thought, with a stab of fear, he was never going to have any friends?
- The policeman pinched his eyes as if overcome with a sudden stab of pain.
- It was designed for use as an appetite suppressant, to be taken along with a certain pill.
WORD FAMILYadjectivepainedpainful ≠ painlessnounpainverbpainadverbpainfully ≠ painlessly
1[countable, uncountable] the feeling you have when part of your body hurts: The pain is getting worse.pain in She felt a sharp pain in her leg. Greg was in a lot of pain. → growing pains(2)2[countable, uncountable] the feeling of unhappiness you have when you are sad, upset etc: the pain and grief of bereavementcause (somebody) pain/inflict pain on somebody She hated to say the words, for fear of causing pain.3be a pain (in the neck) (also be a pain in the ass/arse/backside/butt not polite) spoken to be very annoying: There were times when Joe could be a real pain in the neck. It’s a pain, having to go upstairs to make the coffee every time.4take/go to (great) pains to do something (also take pains with/over something) to make a special effort to do something: He’s taken great pains to improve his image.5be at pains to do something to be especially careful to make sure people understand what you are saying or what you plan to do: Roy was at pains to point out that English was the only exam he’d ever failed.6for your pains as a reward for something you worked to achieve – used especially when this is disappointing: I fetched the file, and all I got for my pains was a dirty look from Simon.7no pain, no gain used to say that you can only achieve something, for example become fitter, by suffering or working hard8on/under pain of death at the risk of being killed as punishment, if you do not obey: Communist activity was prohibited on pain of death.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesbad· Later that evening, the pain was really bad.terrible/awful· I woke up with a terrible pain in my side.severe/intense· Ever since the accident, Mike’s suffered from severe back pain.excruciating (=very severe)· The pain in my eye was excruciating.a sharp pain (=short but severe)· She felt a sharp pain in the back of her throat.a slight pain (=not severe)· I’ve got a slight pain in my side.a dull pain (=a slight but continuous pain)· There was a dull pain in his lower jaw.a nagging pain (=felt all the time)· Rob felt fine, apart from a nagging pain in his left wrist.chronic pain (=pain that you suffer from for long periods of time)· Many of the elderly patients suffer chronic pain.a shooting pain (=a severe pain that goes from one part of your body to another)· The shooting pains in her arms and legs slowly began to die away.a searing pain (=very severe, as if you have been burnt)· His elbow struck the side of the table, sending a searing pain through his arm.a stabbing pain (=sharp and sudden)· Marcus heard a shot and felt a stabbing pain at the back of his ankle.a throbbing pain (=a pain that gets stronger and then weaker, in a steady continuous beat)· I’ve still got this throbbing pain in my leg.back/chest/stomach etc pain· Many people suffer from back pain.abdominal pain· Several of the hotel’s guests had persistent abdominal pain and diarrhoea.physical pain· He couldn’t stand physical pain.labour pains British English, labor pains American English (=felt by a woman at the time she is having a baby)· Becky was at work when labour pains began.verbshave a pain· I’ve got a terrible pain in my stomach.feel pain· The dentist told me that I wouldn’t feel any pain.be in pain· Despite being in great pain, he managed to call for help.suffer (from) pain· She suffers from chronic pain in her legs.inflict pain· The guards enjoyed inflicting pain on them.relieve/ease pain (also alleviate pain formal) (=make it less severe)· Exercise can help to relieve lower back pain.experience pain formal· Animals caught in the trap experience great pain before they die.complain of pain (=say that you have a pain in a part of your body)· After we finished our run, Tom complained of pains in his chest.the pain gets worse· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor.the pain goes away (also the pain subsides formal) (=becomes less severe)· He lay still until the pain had subsided to a dull ache.the pain comes and goes (=keeps starting and stopping)· The pain comes and goes but it’s never too severe.pain + NOUNpain relief (=a drug or treatment that makes pain less severe)· These drugs offer effective pain relief for the very sick.somebody’s pain threshold (=their ability to bear pain)· Everyone has a different pain threshold.phrasesaches and pains· Everyone has a few aches and pains when they get older.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘big pain’. Say terrible pain or severe pain.THESAURUSpain noun [countable, uncountable] the feeling when part of your body hurts: · A broken leg can cause a lot of pain.· He felt a sharp pain in his chest.ache noun [countable, uncountable] a continuous pain, especially one that is not very bad. Most commonly used in compounds such as headache, toothache, and backache: · I felt an ache in my back after decorating all day.· Driving gives me a headache.· I’ve got stomach ache.· Do you have earache?twinge noun [countable] a sudden slight pain that comes and then disappears quickly: · When I bent down I felt a twinge in my back.discomfort noun [uncountable] formal an uncomfortable feeling in your body, or a slight pain: · The procedure takes five minutes and only causes slight discomfort.agony noun [uncountable] a feeling of great pain, or a situation in which you feel a lot of pain: · the agony of childbirth· I was in agony by the time I got to the hospital.· It was agony (=very painful)getting up out of bed.suffering noun [uncountable] continuous physical or mental pain, which makes someone very unhappy: · I just wanted someone to put an end to my suffering.· the suffering of the earthquake victimspain1 nounpain2 verb
painpain2 verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
pain
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | pain |
| he, she, it | pains | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | pained |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have pained |
| he, she, it | has pained | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had pained |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will pain |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have pained |
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- His war wound which had pained him earlier was now turning to agony.
- She is pained that he can exclude her from his life.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES acute pain He was crazed with grief after the death of his mother. Both the girls were doubled up with laughter. He drank some alcohol to dull the pain. He’ll give you something to ease the pain. a stress-free life Lee had a nagging pain in her back. Iona reached the final, but she had to go through the pain barrier to get there. the pain and suffering caused by road accidents The pain was almost unbearable. He lay writhing in pain. Clare yelled in pain as she fell. The water was hotter than she had expected, and she gave an involuntary yelp.
(=slight feelings of pain that are not considered to be serious) Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right.
Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right. acute pain· He knew that he couldn’t bear the pain much longer.
· The decision brought him great relief.
· The infection can cause severe pain.
· There are a number of causes of chest pain.
He was crazed with grief after the death of his mother.· A rock was loose and he fell with a sharp cry of surprise.
Both the girls were doubled up with laughter. He drank some alcohol to dull the pain. He’ll give you something to ease the pain. (=one that shows you are in pain or feeling upset)· A pained expression crossed Rory’s face when he saw them together.
a stress-free life· I needed a pain-killing injection in my elbow.
· She felt an intense pain in her right shoulder.
Lee had a nagging pain in her back. Iona reached the final, but she had to go through the pain barrier to get there.· She bravely endured great physical pain.
· What’s the best way of relieving back pain?
· We could hear her screaming in pain.
· My screams of terror awoke my parents.
· He was in severe pain and unable to call for help.
(=continuous short pains passing through your body)
· He complained of acute stomach pains.
the pain and suffering caused by road accidents (=your ability or inability to deal with pain)· ‘Will it hurt?’ ‘That all depends on your pain threshold.’
The pain was almost unbearable. He lay writhing in pain. Clare yelled in pain as she fell. The water was hotter than she had expected, and she gave an involuntary yelp.PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► the pain barrier► shout in pain/anger/frustration etc► spare somebody the trouble/difficulty/pain etc (of doing something)
- It pained her to see how much older Bill was looking.
- As much as it pains us to write this, now is time for Dan to step down.
- Most burglars, it pains me to say, are just looking for the easy dollar.
- She turned her back again, her shoulders heaving, her eyes blind with tears.
- She held her breath on another quick dart of guilt.
- The words echoed unspoken in her brain, sending tiny darts of pain through her veins.
- As Grant hurried down the narrow concrete stairs, he felt the first warning stab of pain in his torn thigh muscle.
- I bit my arm and was grateful for the stab of pain, for the resistance of the bone beneath the skin.
- I felt a sharp stab of disappointment and was surprised and angry at myself.
- Instinctively he rolled in the saddle and felt the white-hot stab of pain as something sharp scored a line across his shoulders.
- She stretched, and little stabs of pain shot through her.
- Supposing, he thought, with a stab of fear, he was never going to have any friends?
- The policeman pinched his eyes as if overcome with a sudden stab of pain.
- It was designed for use as an appetite suppressant, to be taken along with a certain pill.
WORD FAMILYadjectivepainedpainful ≠ painlessnounpainverbpainadverbpainfully ≠ painlessly
it pains somebody to do something formal used to say that it is very difficult and upsetting for someone to have to do something- magma
- Magna Carta
- magna cum laude
- magnanimity
- magnanimous
- magnanimously
- magnate
- magnesia
- magnesium
- magnet
- magnetic
- magnetically
- magnetic disk
- magnetic field
- magnetic media
- magnetic north
- magnetic pole
- magnetic resonance imaging
- magnetic tape
- magnetism
- magnetization
- magnetize
- magneto
- magnet school
- Magnificat