ACHE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ache mean? 

• ACHE (noun)
  The noun ACHE has 1 sense:

1. a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain

  Familiarity information: ACHE used as a noun is very rare.

• ACHE (verb)
  The verb ACHE has 3 senses:

1. feel physical pain

2. have a desire for something or someone who is not present

3. be the source of pain

  Familiarity information: ACHE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACHE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

ache; aching

Hypernyms ("ache" is a kind of...):

hurting; pain (a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ache"):

backache (an ache localized in the back)

cephalalgia; head ache; headache (pain in the head caused by dilation of cerebral arteries or muscle contractions or a reaction to drugs)

bellyache; gastralgia; stomach ache; stomachache (an ache localized in the stomach or abdominal region)

earache; otalgia (an ache localized in the middle or inner ear)

odontalgia; toothache (an ache localized in or around a tooth)

Derivation:

ache (feel physical pain)

ache (be the source of pain)

achy (causing a dull and steady pain)

• ACHE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they ache    ... he / she / it aches   
Past simple: ached   
Past participle: ached   
-ing form: aching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Feel physical pain

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

ache; hurt; suffer

Context example:

Were you hurting after the accident?

Hypernyms (to "ache" is one way to...):

comprehend; perceive (to become aware of through the senses)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ache"):

kill (be the source of great pain for)

prick; sting; twinge (cause a stinging pain)

twinge (feel a sudden sharp, local pain)

catch; get (suffer from the receipt of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue ache

Derivation:

ache; aching (a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have a desire for something or someone who is not present

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

ache; languish; pine; yearn; yen

Context example:

I am pining for my lover

Hypernyms (to "ache" is one way to...):

hanker; long; yearn (desire strongly or persistently)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ache"):

die (languish as with love or desire)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be the source of pain

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

ache; hurt; smart

Hypernyms (to "ache" is one way to...):

cause to be perceived (have perceptible qualities)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "ache"):

bite; burn; sting (cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort)

burn (feel hot or painful)

itch (have or perceive an itch)

hunger (feel the need to eat)

thirst (feel the need to drink)

act up (make itself felt as a recurring pain)

throb (pulsate or pound with abnormal force)

shoot (cause a sharp and sudden pain in)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Sentence example:

Did his feet ache?

Derivation:

ache; aching (a dull persistent (usually moderately intense) pain)

 Context examples 

A question about whether an individual is or was bothered by aches and pains.

(Aches and Pains Bother Me, NCI Thesaurus)

Symptoms include fever and chills, body aches, pain in the lower back and genital area, a burning feeling during urination, and problems with emptying the bladder all the way.

(Acute bacterial prostatitis, NCI Dictionary)

Infection can cause fever, headache, body aches, weakness, stomach pain, and lack of appetite.

(Genetics of the 2014 Ebola Outbreak, NIH)

The initial symptoms of the disease are similar across all malaria types (fever, chilling, headache and body aches) but the disease may become more severe depending on the causative agent.

(Biosensor promises early malaria diagnosis, SciDev.Net)

It was drawn by an unskilful surgeon, in a mistake, from one of Glumdalclitch’s men, who was afflicted with the tooth-ache, but it was as sound as any in his head.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Every one of the travelers made the Winkies a pretty speech in return, and all shook hands with them until their arms ached.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Ambrette seed oil is used for aches and stiffness and for its aromatic properties.

(Ambrette Seed Oil, NCI Thesaurus)

Often, the first symptoms are fatigue, muscle aches and a low fever.

(Autoimmune Diseases, NIH)

Symptoms include body aches, pain in the lower back and genital area, a burning feeling during urination, and problems with emptying the bladder all the way.

(Chronic bacterial prostatitis, NCI Dictionary)

Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) Bone or joint aches.

(COWS - Bone or Joint Aches, NCI Thesaurus)