ache

verb

/eɪk/

[intransitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they ache	/eɪk/ /eɪk/
he / she / it aches	/eɪks/ /eɪks/
past simple ached	/eɪkt/ /eɪkt/
past participle ached	/eɪkt/ /eɪkt/
-ing form aching	/ˈeɪkɪŋ/ /ˈeɪkɪŋ/

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to feel a continuous pain that is not severe synonym hurt
- I'm aching all over.
- ache from something Her eyes ached from lack of sleep.
- (figurative) It makes my heart ache (= it makes me sad) to see her suffer.
Synonyms hurt
hurt
- ache
- burn
- sting
- tingle
- itch
- throb
These are all words that can be used when part of your body feels painful.
- hurt (of part of your body) to feel painful; (of an action) to cause pain:
  My feet hurt.
  Ouch! That hurt!
- ache to feel a continuous pain that is not severe:
  I’m aching all over.
- burn (of part of your body) to feel very hot and painful:
  Our eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air.
- sting to make somebody feel a sharp burning pain or uncomfortable feeling in part of their body; (of part of your body) to feel this pain:
  My eyes were stinging from the smoke.
- tingle (of part of your body) to feel as if a lot of small sharp points are pushing into the skin there:
  The cold air made her face tingle.
- itch to have an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch; to make your skin feel like this:
  I itch all over.
  Does the rash itch?
- throb (of part of your body) to feel pain as a series of regular beats:
  His head throbbed painfully.
Patterns
- your eyes hurt/ache/burn/sting/itch
- your skin hurts/burns/stings/tingles/itches
- your flesh hurts/burns/stings/tingles
- your head hurts/aches/throbs
- your stomach hurts/aches
- to really hurt/ache/burn/sting/tingle/itch/throb
- to hurt/ache/sting/itch badly/a lot
- It hurts/stings/tingles/itches.
Topics Illnessa2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- badly
- really
- terribly
- …
preposition
- from
phrases
- ache all over
See full entry
(formal) to have a strong desire for somebody/something or to do something synonym long
- ache for somebody/something I was aching for home.
- ache to do something He ached to see her.

ache

noun

/eɪk/

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(often in compounds) a continuous feeling of pain in a part of the body
- Mummy, I've got a tummy ache.
- Muscular aches and pains can be soothed by a relaxing massage.
- (figurative) an ache in my heart (= a continuous sad feeling)
see also achy, backache, bellyache, headache, heartache, stomach ache, toothache
Extra Examples
- He changed his position once again to ease the ache in his back.
- He was always complaining about his various aches and pains.
- I felt the familiar ache in my lower back.
- (figurative) She could hardly speak for the ache in her heart.
- (figurative) She kept feeling the nagging ache in her heart.
- a nagging ache in her knee
- (figurative) the ache of loneliness inside him
- You get more aches and pains as you get older.
Topics Illnessa2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- constant
- deep
- dull
- …
verb + ache
- be aware of
- feel
- have
- …
ache + verb
- throb
preposition
- ache in
- ache inside
- ache of
- …
phrases
- aches and pains
See full entry
Word OriginOld English æce (noun), acan (verb). In Middle and early modern English the noun was spelled atche and rhymed with ‘batch’ and the verb was spelled and pronounced as it is today. The noun began to be pronounced like the verb around 1700. The modern spelling is largely due to Dr Johnson, who mistakenly assumed its derivation to be from Greek akhos ‘pain’.