pain (redirected from on pain)

be a pain in the arse/backside (British & Australian, very informal, American & Australian, very informal)

to be very annoying. I can't stand my brother-in-law. He's a real pain in the arse. Getting up for work at 5 a.m. is a pain in the ass.

See also: arse, backside

be a pain in the neck (informal)

to be very annoying. My little sister won't leave me alone. She's a real pain in the neck.

See also: neck

be at pains to do something

to try very hard to make sure that you tell someone the correct information about something and that they understand it. The management was at great pains to stress that there are no plans for closing down the factory.

go to/take great pains to do something

to try very hard to do something. I went to great pains to get this record for you.

See also: great, take

growing pains

the problems or difficulties of a new organization or activity. Even highly successful businesses will have experienced growing pains in the early days.

See also: grow

on/under pain of death (formal)

if you are told to do something on pain of death, you will be killed if you do not do it. They had been told to leave their homes by noon on pain of death.

See also: death

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at pains to do something

making an effort to do something. The management was at pains to stress that there are no plans for closing the factory. He was at pains to show he does not favor the change.

on pain of something

at risk of experiencing something bad. She says she was asked to approve the report on pain of losing her job.

a pain in the ass

someone or something that is very annoying. He doesn't win cases — he just makes such a pain in the ass of himself that opponents give up. She acts like all the people she works with are a pain in the neck.

Usage notes: also used in the forms a pain in the butt or a pain in the backside: Watering the lawn is always a pain in the butt.I'm really not sure any of these are rude slang; arguably just informal--SL, 1/03

See also: ass

take (great) pains to do something

to try very hard to do something. We took great pains to insure that no one felt left out.

go to great lengths to do something

See also: take