Pain
/peɪn/
Definitions
3 meaningsA physical sensation of suffering or discomfort.
/peɪn/
Physical suffering or discomfort.
The pain in my back was excruciating.
💡 Simply: Pain is that yucky feeling you get when you hurt yourself, like when you scrape your knee or have a headache. It's your body's way of telling you something's wrong!
👶 For kids: When something hurts your body, it's called pain.
More Examples
She grimaced in pain as she touched her burned hand.
He took a painkiller to alleviate the discomfort.
How It's Used
"The patient reported severe pain in their abdomen."
"I felt a sharp pain when I stubbed my toe."
A feeling of emotional or mental suffering.
/peɪn/
Mental or emotional distress.
The loss of her friend caused her immense pain.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, pain isn't just about your body; it can be about your feelings. It's that sad, hurt feeling you get when something bad happens, like when someone you love is away.
👶 For kids: When your heart or feelings are hurt, that's also a kind of pain.
More Examples
He struggled to overcome the pain of his past.
Writing helped her process her emotional pain.
How It's Used
"The news caused her deep emotional pain."
"He felt the pain of separation."
To cause emotional suffering or anguish to someone.
/peɪn/
To cause emotional distress.
Her words pained him more than she realized.
💡 Simply: When you *pain* someone, you're making them feel really sad or upset, like when you say something mean and hurt their feelings.
👶 For kids: When you hurt someone's feelings, you pain them.
More Examples
The thought of their separation pained him.
It pained him to see his friend struggle.
How It's Used
"The memory pained him deeply."
"Her actions pained her family."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
pain in the neck
A person or thing that is very annoying or troublesome.
"My little brother is a real pain in the neck sometimes."
no pain, no gain
You have to suffer or work hard to achieve something.
"If you want to get fit, remember: no pain, no gain!"
From Old French *peine*, from Latin *poena* meaning 'punishment, penalty, pain'.
The word 'pain' has been used in English since the late 13th century, initially referring to physical suffering. Its meaning broadened over time to include emotional distress.
Memory tip
Think of a PINCH - pain is like a physical pinch.
Word Origin
"punishment, penalty, pain"