pain (pān)
n.

1. An unpleasant sensation occurring in varying degrees of severity as a consequence of injury, disease, or emotional disorder.
2. Suffering or distress.
3. pains The pangs of childbirth.
4. pains Great care or effort: take pains with one's work.
5. Informal. A source of annoyance; a nuisance.

v., pained, pain·ing, pains.

v.tr.
To cause pain to; hurt or injure.

v.intr.
To be the cause of pain.

idiom:

on (or under) pain of

1. Subject to the penalty of (a specified punishment, such as death).

[Middle English, from Old French peine, from Latin poena, penalty, pain, from Greek poinē, penalty.]

SYNONYMS   pain, ache, pang, smart, stitch, throe, twinge. These nouns denote a sensation of severe physical discomfort: abdominal pain; aches in my leg; the pangs of a cramped muscle; aspirin that alleviated the smart; a stitch in my side; the throes of dying; a twinge of arthritis.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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