ache

¹ache

intransitive verb \ˈāk\

achedach·ing

Definition of ACHE

1

a : to suffer a usually dull persistent pain <an aching back>

b : to become distressed or disturbed (as with anxiety or regret) <aching with sadness>

c : to feel compassion <my heart aches for those poor people>

2

: to experience a painful eagerness or yearning <he is aching to go>

Examples of ACHE

1. Her muscles were aching from shoveling snow.
2. After running the marathon, his body ached for a week.
3. The candy's so sweet that it makes my teeth ache.

Origin of ACHE

Middle English aken, from Old English acan

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to ACHE

Synonyms

hurt, pain, smart

Related Words

bite, bleed, burn, chafe, cramp, fester, itch, nag, pinch, pound, rack, sting, swell, throb, tingle, twinge; agonize, anguish, suffer; afflict, harrow, torment, torture

Rhymes with ACHE

bake, brake, break, cake, crake, drake, Drake, fake, flake, hake, jake, lake, make, quake, rake, sake, shake, slake, snake, stake, steak, strake, take, wake

²ache

noun

Definition of ACHE

1

: a usually dull persistent pain

2

: a condition marked by aching

Examples of ACHE

1. He had a dull ache in his back from lifting boxes all day.
2. <a dull pounding ache in his head>

First Known Use of ACHE

before 12th century

Related to ACHE

Synonyms

pain, pang, prick, shoot, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

Related Words

discomfort, distress, soreness, tenderness; affliction, agony, anguish, misery, sufferance, suffering, torment, torture; inflammation, sore, swelling; damage, detriment, harm, hurt, injury; backache, bellyache, charley horse, colic, complaint, earache, gripe, headache, stomachache, toothache

Near Antonyms

comfort, ease, easiness

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic