It could, as he had been at pains to make clear, just go along.

And he was at pains to indicate what these might be.

But then life's not fair, as this report is at pains to point out.

He will need good advice, which we must be at pains to send often.

Indeed, it could be said that the paper is at pains to avoid the issue.

The authorities are at pains to make sure that what has just gone wrong won't happen again.

But everyone involved in the sport is at pains to point out that safety comes first.

American officials have been at pains to say: We're staying.

So I have always been at pains to never be bored about anything.

As I said, he is at pains to appear neutral.

Everyone is at pains to point out that they dress like this all the time.

The Yard men were at pains not to catch each other's eyes.

He was at pains to understand why everybody found his story so amusing.

Clara, for years, had been at pains to make that point.

David Hall is at pains to point out that community action needn't cost much, especially when everyone chips in with what they do best.

The company, he says, has been at pains to stop it leaking.

He is at pains to say he's not a diva.

I also believe that the Commission has been at pains to provide the relevant information within a short time.

But since then he has been at pains to soften his style.

Why had someone been at pains to conceal her identity?

Bush has been at pains to avert for nearly two years.

What the company has also been at pains to do it allow local input into its products.

"They are at pains to stress that the school will be open as normal on Monday."

In fact, it seems to be at pains to do the exact opposite.

The two have been at pains to emphasize their unity.