ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pain in the ass

idiom
Meaning

Something or someone that causes discomfort, frustration, or annoyance.


Origin

Dysphemistically modelled after pain in the neck. First attested in the early to mid-20th century.

Examples
SIMPLE

This broken printer is a real pain in the ass.

CONTEXTUAL

Filling out these complicated tax forms every year is a total pain in the ass.

COMPLEX

Dealing with the constant bureaucratic delays proved to be a significant pain in the ass for the project manager.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    ass over teakettle

    Tumbling upside down.

  2. 02

    beat someone's ass

    To thrash someone.

  3. 03

    bite my ass

    Go away!; an expression of disdain or dismissal.

  4. 04

    bite my shiny metal ass

    An expression of discontent or aggravation to another party.

  5. 05

    bust ass

    To work hard, especially when trying to achieve a goal.

  6. 06

    cover someone's ass

    To make preparations or take precautions to ensure that a person is not blamed or punished for his or her conduct.

  7. 07

    drag ass

    To move slowly, or lag behind.

  8. 08

    find one's ass with both hands and a flashlight

    Synonym of know one's ass from a hole in the ground.

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