Word
paine
Phoneticspaine
/ˈpeɪn/
Definition
n. an old way of spelling the word 'pain'. It refers to physical suffering or the effort someone puts into a task.
n. an archaic orthographic variant of 'pain', referring to physical or mental suffering or the exertion of great effort. Found primarily in Middle English or early Modern English texts.
Examples
“The knight felt great paine after the long battle.”
“In the original printing of the poem, the author describes the 'paine' of a broken heart.”
“Scholars of early modern literature must often distinguish between 'paine' as physical distress and its use in the phrase 'to take pains', meaning to act with diligent care.”
Examples
simple
“The knight felt great paine after the long battle.”
contextual
“In the original printing of the poem, the author describes the 'paine' of a broken heart.”
complex
“Scholars of early modern literature must often distinguish between 'paine' as physical distress and its use in the phrase 'to take pains', meaning to act with diligent care.”
Usage
Archaic spelling; in modern English, 'pain' is the standard form. When used in the sense of 'taking pains', it is typically plural.
Pitfall
He felt a sharp paine in his leg.
He felt a sharp pain in his leg.
The spelling 'paine' is archaic and should not be used in modern writing; use 'pain' instead.