take pains

English

Verb

take pains (third-person singular simple present takes pains, present participle taking pains, simple past took pains, past participle taken pains)

1. (transitive) To use care and effort (to do something) despite any corresponding trouble or inconvenience.

   Synonyms: go to pains, be at pains, go to great lengths

   Hyponyms: (even higher degree) take great pains, be at great pains, go to the ends of the earth

   Near-synonyms: take the trouble, make an effort

   • 2025 February 19, Robert Jimison, “As Trump Turns Against Ukraine, Republicans in Congress Stay Quiet”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Some G.O.P. lawmakers have made clear they do not agree with Mr. Trump’s approach, but most have done so taking pains not to criticize the president.

Derived terms

• painstaking

Further reading

• "take pains" in Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary