pains
Britishplural noun
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care, trouble, or effort (esp in the phrases take pains, be at pains to )
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painful sensations experienced during contractions in childbirth; labour pains
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lots of folks are at pains to say that this will not affect the safety of the meat supply.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
For a movie defined by this nowhereness, it’s all the more telling that the filmmakers took pains to let us know exactly where we are.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
Mr. Lindsey takes pains to differentiate himself from these previous critics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
On 31 January 2024, Adam collapsed during the second half of a match complaining of chest pains.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
I held her mother's hand through the pains and the pushing, helped to ease her troubled breaths.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
