be at pains to do something Definition

pain
noun

1. An uncomfortable, distressing or agonizing sensation caused by the stimulation of specialized nerve endings by heat, cold, pressure or other strong stimuli.
2. Emotional suffering.

Thesaurus: agony, misery, distress, suffering, anguish, torment, affliction, hurt, discomfort, grief, woe, tribulation.
3. derog, colloq
An irritating or troublesome person or thing.
4. Trouble taken or efforts made in doing something.

Thesaurus: bother, care, trouble, diligence, assiduity, effort.
Form: pains

verb

pained, paining
1. rather formal
To cause distress to someone
Example: It pained me to see the injured donkey.
Thesaurus: afflict, hurt, wound, torture, torment, irritate, nettle, vex, annoy, distress, grieve.

Idiom: be at pains to do something

To be anxious to do it with due care and thoroughness.

Idiom: for one's pains

ironic
As a reward (usually a poor one) for the trouble one has taken.

Idiom: on pain of something

At the risk of incurring it as a punishment.

Idiom: take pains

To be careful to do something properly; to be thorough over a task, etc.

Etymology: 13c: from Latin poena punishment.