pain (redirected from pains in the neck)

feeling no pain

numbed by alcohol and feeling nothing; intoxicated. She fell off the wagon and is feeling no pain. He drank the whole thing, and he's feeling no pain.

See also: feeling

Genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains.

Prov. Genius is the quality of being exceedingly careful about everything you do. If genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains, Marilyn certainly has it. She never overlooks a single detail that needs attention.

See also: genius, taking

give someone a pain

Fig. to annoy or bother someone. Please don't give me a pain. I've had a hard day. You give me a pain! She's such a pest. She really gives me a pain.

See also: give

have growing pains 

1. Fig. [for a child] to have pains—which are attributed to growth-in the muscles and joints. The doctor said that all Mary had were growing pains and that nothing was really wrong. Not everyone has growing pains.

2. Fig. [for an organization] to have difficulties in its early stages of growth. The banker apologized for losing my check and said the bank was having growing pains. The new administration was having terrible growing pains.

See also: grow, have

No pain, no gain.

Fig. If you want to improve, you must work so hard that it hurts. (Associated with sports and physical exercise.) Player: I can't do any more push-ups. My muscles hurt. Coach: No pain, no gain. Come on, everybody! Run one more lap! No pain, no gain!

See also: gain

pain in the ass and a pain in the butt; a pain in the rear

Fig. a very annoying thing or person. (Crude. Potentially offensive. Use only with discretion. An elaboration of pain. Use caution with ass. Butt is less offensive. Rear is euphemistic.) That guy is a real pain in the ass. Things like that give me a pain in the butt.

See also: ass

pain in the neck

Fig. a bother; an annoyance. This assignment is a pain in the neck. Your little brother is a pain in the neck.

See also: neck

racked with pain

suffering from severe pain. My body was racked with pain, and I nearly passed out. My head was racked with pain.

See also: rack

share someone's pain

to understand and sympathize with someone's pain or emotional discomfort. (Said in order to sound sympathetic.) I am sorry about the loss of your home. I share your pain. We sympathize about the loss of your mother. We share your pain.

See also: share

take (great) pains (to do something)

Fig. to make a great effort to do something. Tom took pains to decorate the room exactly right. We took great pains to get there on time.

See also: take

take pains over something

Fig. to deal with something with great care. (See also take pains with someone or something.) She certainly takes pains over her work. You will have to take pains over this if you want it to be done right.

See also: take

take pains with someone or something

Fig. to deal with someone or something with great care. He really took pains with me to make sure I understood it all. Ken took pains with the model plane.

See also: take

There is no pleasure without pain.

Prov. For every pleasure you enjoy, you must suffer some pain. We had a fabulous vacation, but it's going to take us years to pay for it. Oh, well, there's no pleasure without pain. Yesterday I basked in the warm sunshine all afternoon; today I'm badly sunburned. There is no pleasure without pain.

See also: pleasure, without

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be a pain in the arse/backside  (British & Australian very informal) also be a pain in the ass/butt (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

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

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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a pain in the ass (rude) also a pain in the neck

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.

See also: ass

at pains to do something (slightly formal)

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 (slightly formal)

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

take (great) pains to do something also go to (great) pains to do something

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

Related vocabulary: go to great lengths to do something

See also: take