ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pleasure and pain

idiom
Slang Cockney rhyming slang · East London
Meaning

rain


Origin

Both a matter of pleasure for gardeners and pain for sufferers from rheumatism.

Examples
SIMPLE

I forgot my umbrella in the pleasure and pain.

CONTEXTUAL

We were walking home from the cinema when the pleasure and pain started falling heavily on us.

COMPLEX

The old man sat by the window, watching the pleasure and pain wash the dust from the empty streets during the long afternoon storm.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    make it rain

    To bring prosperity or work to an enterprise by selling, inventing or other productive or successful activity.

  2. 02

    rain buckets

    To rain heavily

  3. 03

    rain cats and dogs

    To rain very heavily.

  4. 04

    rain death

    To cause severe harm or violence.

  5. 05

    rain down

    To appear suddenly or inexplicably in large numbers.

  6. 06

    rain fire and brimstone

    To send horror or destruction.

  7. 07

    rain off

    to cancel (an event) due to excessive rain

  8. 08

    rain on someone's parade

    To spoil someone's celebration.

© 2026 English Reference