to take pains

Examples

• All

• The first time, ten nights ago, they had taken pains to be as quiet as possible.

  Fiction book (1999)

• In contrast to the military government, the new democratic regime took pains to guarantee untrammeled press freedom.

  Academic text (1993)

• In official documents, the church takes pains to describe the place of its gay members.

  Academic text (2011)

• Oh, and these same scientists took pains to assure us in their writings that soon the natural animal source would be found.

  Megyn Kelly

• The university has taken pains to disassociate itself from the private speech involved in this case.

  Academic text (1996)

• After that, I took pains to make even clearer to Walker how devoted I was to my career.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Manetti could not be more explicit in this regard and clearly has taken pains to clarify this point.

  Academic text (2015)

• More specifically, he took pains to distinguish the class-specific concerns of bourgeois girls.

  Academic text (2007)

• The Court took pains to state that it was not endorsing the registered voter baseline under most circumstances.

  Academic text (2017)

• However, he has taken pains to rein in untoward implications.

  Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

E

to exert

vsto take pains

33 4.1

Make a strong physical or mental effort

is about effort plus careful attention rather than mere force

T

to take great pains

vsto take pains

• Formal

6 5.2

Make a lot of effort and be careful about small details

is the same idea but stated with less explicit emphasis

B

to be at pains

vsto take pains

• Formal

3 7.7

To try very hard to do something carefully

emphasizes careful thoroughness and completeness rather than general effort

A

at pains

vsto take pains

• Formal

2 7.3

Trying very hard to make something clear and avoid mistakes

is more general, applying to effort and care beyond avoiding mistakes

I

to inconvenience oneself

vsto take pains

7.1

To do something that causes you trouble to help someone

involves effort or care without implying personal discomfort or trouble

Antonyms

N

to neglect

256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

S

to slack off

• Informal

3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

How Much Effort

to spare no effort

2 3.9

to go to great lengths

26 4.1

to take pains

8 5.8

to try

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology