noun
pain
PAYN
noun
1
An unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury or illness.
"She felt a sharp pain in her lower back."
2
Mental or emotional suffering.
"The loss of his father caused years of pain."
3
Informal term for an irritating or troublesome person or situation.
"Filling out these forms is such a pain."
verb
1
To cause someone physical or emotional suffering.
"It pained her to see him struggle alone."
How to Use Pain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPhysical or emotional suffering, or, informally, an annoyance.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
chronic pain
a pain in the neck
cause pain
Word Forms
pained past tense, pains plural, pains plural, Pains plural, pains singular
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She felt a sharp _____ in her lower back.
Etymology
From Old French peine, ultimately from Latin poena, "punishment" — the same root that gives us "penalty" and "penal."