- to feel, suffer, or be the source of a continuous dull pain
- to suffer mental anguish
- a continuous dull pain
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ache /eɪk/USA pronunciation
v., ached/eɪkt/USA pronunciation ach•ing, n.
v. [no object]
n. [countable]
ach•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026v. [no object]
- Pathologyto have a continuous dull pain:His back ached from lifting.
- to want (something) very much;
yearn;
long: [ ~ + for + obj]:was aching for a hot shower.[ ~ + to + verb]:ached to have a drink.
n. [countable]
- Pathologya continuous dull pain.
ach•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.
ach•ing
(ā′king),USA pronunciation adj.
ach′ing•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- causing physical pain or distress:treatment for an aching back.
- Pathologyfull of or precipitating nostalgia, grief, loneliness, etc.
- 1200–1250; Middle English; see ache, -ing2
ache
(āk),USA pronunciation v., ached, ach•ing, n.
v.i.
n.
v.i.
- Pathologyto have or suffer a continuous, dull pain:His whole body ached.
- to feel great sympathy, pity, or the like:Her heart ached for the starving animals.
- to feel eager;
yearn;
long:She ached to be the champion. He's just aching to get even.
n.
- Pathologya continuous, dull pain (in contrast to a sharp, sudden, or sporadic pain).
- bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English aken, Old English acan; perh. metaphoric use of earlier unattested sense "drive, impel'' (compare Old Norse aka, cognate with Latin agere, Greek ágein); (noun, nominal) derivative of the verb, verbal
- 1. hurt. 4. See pain.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ache /eɪk/ vb (intransitive)