pain in the backside
1
7.4
- idiom
- /peɪn ɪn ðə ˈbæksaɪd/
- Informal
:
molestia
- Although SEO can be a pain in the backside, I highly recommend using it to maximize the profit from an article.
He's actually, yes, he's causing disruption and, and been a bit of a pain in the backside, but I've got no real big issue with him.
- He's actually, yes, he's causing disruption and, and been a bit of a pain in the backside, but I've got no real big issue with him.
Examples
-
Anyone can sue anyone at any time for anything, and it's a pain in the backside and very expensive.
Blog text (15) -
Dealing with that customer is always a pain in the backside, as they keep changing their requirements.
-
Nonetheless, they were less of a pain in the backside than we feared, so things were good.
Blog text (29) -
He's actually, yes, he's causing disruption and, and been a bit of a pain in the backside, but I've got no real big issue with him.
-
If you change the country to America, the NONE OPTION DOES SHOW, but you're still pretty buggered as you then have to put in a billing address to an American state address. If you don't, you can't complete the registration. This really is a pain in the backside.
Blog text (33) -
The constant noise from the construction site next door has become a pain in the backside for everyone in the building.
-
He tends to be a pain in the backside during meetings, always interrupting and disagreeing with everyone's ideas.
Synonyms
418
3.0
Something that causes annoyance or trouble
109
9.2
A person or thing that is very annoying and difficult to deal with
62
3.6
A person or thing that annoys others and causes trouble
11
4.1
A person or thing that is annoying and causes trouble
8
8.0
A very annoying person or thing that causes trouble
1
6.3
A person or thing that keeps causing trouble for someone
1
7.0
Something that keeps causing you trouble or worry
Someone or something that causes a lot of trouble and annoyance
Antonyms
How Annoying
- Offensive
109
9.2
- Informal
11
4.1
- Informal
1
7.4
62
3.6
21
3.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines literal elements ('pain' + 'backside') that evoke physical discomfort, so there is a visible metaphorical link to something or someone being annoying. However the jump from literal bodily pain to the idiomatic sense 'a nuisance' is culturally conditioned and not fully predictable from the parts, so a B1 learner who knows the words may only partially infer the meaning and likely need exposure.
Etymology
The phrase pain in the backside comes from a simple image: imagine sitting on something sharp or being poked so you have a constant pain in your backside, your bottom, and it keeps bothering you. That's why it now means 'a person or thing that causes annoyance or trouble'.