GROWING PAINS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does growing pains mean? 

• GROWING PAINS (noun)
  The noun GROWING PAINS has 3 senses:

1. pain in muscles or joints sometimes experienced by children and often attributed to rapid growth

2. emotional distress arising during adolescence

3. problems that arise in enlarging an enterprise (especially in the early stages)

  Familiarity information: GROWING PAINS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GROWING PAINS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pain in muscles or joints sometimes experienced by children and often attributed to rapid growth

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("growing pains" is a kind of...):

hurting; pain (a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Emotional distress arising during adolescence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Hypernyms ("growing pains" is a kind of...):

pain; painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Problems that arise in enlarging an enterprise (especially in the early stages)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("growing pains" is a kind of...):

problem; trouble (a source of difficulty)