ache

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a dull, persistent, moderately intense pain

   After a night of heavy drinking, I have quite an ache in my head.

2. 2
   verb

   to have a desire for something or someone who is not present

   I ached for a cigarette for weeks after I quit.

3. 3
   verb

   to feel physical pain

   After a tough work-out, my body ached.

4. 4
   verb

   to be the source of pain

   My back aches.

5. 5
   verb

   To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.

   My feet were aching for days after the marathon.

6. 6
   noun

   Continued dull pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain.

   You may suffer a minor ache in your side.

7. 7
   noun

   Abbreviation of acetylcholinesterase.

   Coordinate term: BuChE

8. 8
   verb

   To cause someone or something to suffer pain.

Etymology

From Middle English aken (verb), and ache (noun), from Old English acan (verb) (from Proto-West Germanic *akan, from Proto-Germanic *akaną (“to ache”)) and æċe (noun) (from Proto-West Germanic *aki, from Proto-Germanic *akiz), both from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eg- (“sin, crime”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian eeke, ääke (“to ache, fester”), Low German aken, achen, äken (“to hurt, ache”), German Low German Eek (“inflammation”), North Frisian akelig, æklig (“terrible, miserable, sharp, intense”), West Frisian aaklik (“nasty, horrible, dismal, dreary”), Dutch akelig (“nasty, horrible”). The verb…