Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In psychology, a collective term for pleasant and unpleasant affective processes.
  • In psychology, relating to the pleasant and unpleasant affective processes, collectively regarded: as, pleasure-pain theories, pleasure-pain experiments.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Let us, for example, consider a fundamental polarity, pleasure-pain.

    The Balancing and Synthesis of the Opposites, by Roberto Assagioli William Harryman 2009

  • Break out some Keebler products, fire up the DVD player and prepare for the exquisite pleasure-pain of top-shelf nostalgia.

    Archive 2007-11-18 Bill Crider 2007

  • Break out some Keebler products, fire up the DVD player and prepare for the exquisite pleasure-pain of top-shelf nostalgia.

    How Times Have Changed Bill Crider 2007

  • The pleasure-pain of fingers tickling down my spine.

    Crashed ROBIN WASSERMAN 2009

  • The pleasure-pain of fingers tickling down my spine.

    Crashed ROBIN WASSERMAN 2009

  • In the field of the emotions and feelings we find those dualities which are familiar to all: pleasure-pain; excitement-depression; confidence-fear; attraction-repulsion; love-hate.

    The Balancing and Synthesis of the Opposites, by Roberto Assagioli William Harryman 2009

  • He nipped at her lips, a little pleasure-pain that reminded her of the darkness she had glimpsed in his eyes earlier.

    Wicked Pleasures Leigh, Lora 2008

  • The pleasure-pain of him and Chase both taking her the other night had driven her crazy for more.

    Wicked Pleasures Leigh, Lora 2008

  • Each measured increase intensified the pleasure-pain and threw her higher into the maelstrom of agony-ecstasy.

    Wicked Pleasures Leigh, Lora 2008

  • Since there's a pleasure-pain factor involved, Ron, I'd say:

    A new luxury: toothless fish nibble the dead skin off your feet. Ann Althouse 2008

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