pain in the neck

Pronunciation: /peɪn ɪn ðə nɛk/ (American English)

Origin: This idiom originated in the early 20th century, likely from the literal discomfort of neck pain.

Meanings:

1. A person or thing that is very annoying, irritating, or troublesome
2. A bothersome or difficult situation

Example Sentences:

1. "My noisy neighbor is such a pain in the neck; I can never get any sleep!"
2. "Filling out all these forms is a real pain in the neck."
3. "That old printer has become a pain in the neck—it keeps jamming and wasting paper."

Related Words:

• Synonyms: nuisance, annoyance, bother, hassle, headache
• Different forms: None (idiomatic phrase)

Memorizable Tricks:

• Imagine an actual pain in your neck causing discomfort and irritation, just like an annoying person or situation would.
• Think of the phrase as a milder version of "pain in the a**," which has a similar meaning but is more vulgar.
• Visualize a person or situation literally hanging around your neck, weighing you down and causing frustration.