Re: "pain in the ass"

Posted by Smokey Stover on June 15, 2005

In Reply to: Re: "Pain in the ass" posted by R. Berg on June 15, 2005

: : : : : What is the exact meaning of the phrase "pain in the ass"

: : : : It is a phrase used to describe someone or something that is annoying, irritating, boring or in some other way unpleasant.

: : : : DFG

: : : In polite company you can say "pain in the neck" which means the same thing.

: : Resolved: let's all live in polite company.

: Seconded.

It started out as just a pain, as in "He gives me a pain." Pain in the neck was next (OED cites from 1911), then pain in the rear end (1937) and pain in the ass (1951). In my boyhood, pain in the neck was standard. Pain in the ass I heard only after World War II, although doubtless it was around earlier. SS