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growing pains

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growing pains

the problems or difficulties of a new organization or activity Even highly successful businesses will have experienced growing pains in the early days.

See also: grow, pain

growing pains

Problems that arise in beginning or enlarging an enterprise, as in The company is undergoing growing pains but should be viable by next year. This expression, which dates from the late 1800s, originally referred to the joint and limb aches experienced by youngsters who are growing rapidly. By about 1900 it was being used figuratively.

See also: grow, pain