painmaking

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English[edit]

Adjective[edit]

painmaking (comparative more painmaking, superlative most painmaking)

  1. Alternative form of pain-making
    • 1898, Herbert George Wells, The Stolen Body:
      Moreover, the evil spirit was angry because his time had been so short and because of the painmaking violent movements and casting his body about.
    • 1985, The Washington Monthly - Volumes 17-18, page 12:
      New techniques, such as painmaking drugs; pseudo-legal dodges, such as incommunicado detention and "disappearances"; ancient scenarios, such as children forced to watch the :orture of their mothers — these practices have spread rapidly around the world.
    • 2002, Gavin Evans, Dancing Shoes is Dead: A Tale of Fighting Men in South Africa:
      Inside the prison, the chosen few readied themselves to leave their place of incarceration for three precious, painstaking, painmaking hours on the town.

Noun[edit]

painmaking (uncountable)

  1. Alternative form of pain-making
    • 1987, Press Summary - Illinois Information Service:
      Painmaking has replaced lawmaking.
    • 2000, Yang-Un Moon, Multi-Mega-Trans-Metamorphosis: Iii Arrival, →ISBN, page 22:
      Spawned healthy seeds, seizure, sporadical spasm of numbing habit of painmaking, face the real pain, scorching painful pang.
    • 2007, S. R. Osborn, Song of Earth, →ISBN, page 77:
      Torch the land, insert a queer talent for painmaking, mental anguishizing.