adjective.
Acting with, showing, or involving great care and attention. synonym: meticulous.
adjective.
Attended by difficulties; arduous.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
noun.
The taking of pains; assiduous and careful labor.
That takes pains or trouble; characterized by close, careful, assiduous, or conscientious application or labor; industrious; laborious and careful: as, a painstaking person.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
adjective.
Careful in doing; diligent; faithful; attentive.
noun.
The act of taking pains; carefulness and fidelity in performance.
adjective.Carefullyattentive to details; diligent in performing a process or procedure.
noun.
The application of careful and attentiveeffort.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
adjective.
characterized by extreme care and great effort
Word Usage
"However, the sad story of the Yaquis 'fate, at the hands of the Mexican government itself, was related in painstaking detail in a book entitled Barbarous Mexico, published by an American, John Kenneth Turner, in 1911."