# Payne

/ˈpeɪn/ (US) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/payne
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a feeling of physical suffering caused by injury or illness. It can also describe the emotional sadness you feel when something bad happens.

For teachers: an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Refers to both physical distress and psychological suffering.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I have many pains in my back" but "I have a lot of pain in my back" — When describing general physical suffering, the word is usually uncountable.

## Usage notes

- Uncountable when referring to the general sensation; countable when referring to specific instances or types of physical distress.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.