ache

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Illness & disability

ache1 /eɪk/ ●○○ verb [intransitive]  1  MIif part of your body aches, you feel a continuous, but not very sharp pain there 〔持续而隐隐地〕作痛 SYN hurt His feet were aching from standing so long. 他站了那么久，双脚隐隐作痛。► see thesaurus at hurt RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say they have a headache, have (a) backache, have (a) stomach ache, or have (a) toothache rather than saying that their head, back, etc aches: 在日常英语中，人们一般说have a headache，have (a) backache，have (a) stomach ache或者have (a) toothache，而不说head，back等aches My head aches terribly. → I have a terrible headache. 我头痛得厉害。2  WANTto want to do or have something very much 渴望ache for I’m aching for sleep. 我很想睡觉。ache to do something He ached to reach out and hold her close. 他很想伸出双手紧紧抱住她。3  to have a strong unhappy feeling 感到痛苦ache with Sarah ached with sadness that her brother was so ill. 弟弟病得很重，莎拉忧心忡忡。 Tim’s heart was aching for her. 蒂姆为她心痛难过。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

ache• I clung so hard to the window frame that my hand ached.• She felt hot and her head was beginning to ache.• The sight of those children at their mother's funeral made my heart ache.• For years, her chest hurt, her abdomen ached.• Every inch of my body ached after skiing.• Your limbs can ache and your muscles can feel weak.• Already your forearms are beginning to ache, and your upper arms crush your ribs.• an aching back• I went to dance class last week, and I've been aching ever since.• Still, I ache for context at times.• She had been aching for him since she had first seen him straddling that bike with such lazy arrogance.• My arms ached from carrying all the groceries.• His head ached, the cool air no panacea, and his thoughts, too, were disturbed.ache to do something• The children ached for attention.• His body ached to be tucked into bed for the night or for eternity.• The trend gained ground in the United States, where early symphony audiences ached to exude social refinement.• She aches to know for certain that she is loved.• He absolutely ached to make love to Rachel, he would have done anything to see her naked.• He ached to reach out and hold Tsu Ma close, to comfort him, but knew it would be wrong.• She ached to say yes, but all her instincts rebelled.• Li Yuan ... How her heart ached to see him now; to have him hold her and comfort her.

Related topics: Illness & disability

ache2 ●○○ noun [countable]  1  MIa continuous pain that is not sharp or very strong 〔持续的〕隐痛 a stomach ache 胃痛 A dull ache throbbed at the back of David’s head. 戴维的后脑隐隐抽痛。aches and pains (=slight feelings of pain that are not considered to be serious) 轻微疼痛 Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right. 除了几处经常性的疼痛以外，她感到身体尚可。► see thesaurus at pain2  WANTa strong, mostly unhappy, feeling 〔心中的〕苦痛，痛苦 the ache of his loneliness 他的孤寂之苦 —achy adjective I’m feeling tired and achy. 我觉得又累又痛。

Examples from the Corpus

ache• Yet there remained an ache in her heart which told her she had not achieved what she wanted to.• So why was there an ache in her heart?• Lisa felt a dull ache spreading up her arm.• That took care of his ache for home.• A sharp ache filled her chest and she was afraid she was going to cry.• She may also complain of sore muscles, stomach aches, and other pains.• She is putting up peaches for the winter and fighting that ache to be gone again.• You feel the ache coming in your bones.• The ache in her head got worse and she began to imagine a pain under her breastbone.• The ache in my leg muscles had almost disappeared.• His breathing was frightful and the unrelenting ache in his legs grew harsher with every stride.dull ache• It starts as a dull ache that gradually evolves into a severe throbbing pain, centering in the frontal and temporal regions.• They felt nothing but a dull ache in their backs.• I am feeling much better, though there are many times when I feel a dull ache.• Apart from a dull ache in his leg, Larsen has completely recovered from the crash.• The pain in her lower back subsided leaving a dull ache.• It wasn't really very bad but it was a dull ache that made her realise she would never get to sleep.• It seemed that here, there was never any spring, only wind and rain and the dull ache of loss.• Sleep away the tiredness and the dull ache inside his head, that was the thing to do.• It ached an ugly, dull ache.Origin ache1 Old English acan

ache1 verb →REGISTER1ache2 nounChinese  

but body continuous, feel of Corpus a aches, your if you part

ache

I

ache¹ /eɪk/ verb [intransitive]1. if part of your body aches, you feel a continuous, but not very sharp pain there
   SYN  hurt:
    His feet were aching from standing so long.
  REGISTER
    In everyday English, people usually say they have a headache, have (a) backache, have (a) stomach ache, or have (a) toothache rather than saying that their head, back, etc aches:
   ▪ My head aches terribly. ➔ I have a terrible headache.
2. to want to do or have something very much
    ache for
    I’m aching for sleep.
    ache to do something
    He ached to reach out and hold her close.
3. to have a strong unhappy feeling
    ache with
    Sarah ached with sadness that her brother was so ill.
    Tim’s heart was aching for her.
     

THESAURUS

■ when part of your body feels painful
   ▪ hurt if part of your body hurts, it feels painful: My chest hurts when I cough.
   ▪ ache to hurt with a continuous pain: I’d been walking all day and my legs were really aching.
   ▪ throb to feel a bad pain that comes and goes again in a regular and continuous way: Lou had a terrible headache and his whole head seemed to be throbbing.
   ▪ sting to feel a sharp pain, or to make someone feel this, especially in your eyes, throat, or skin: My throat stings every time I swallow. | This injection may sting a little.
   ▪ smart to hurt with a sudden sharp pain – used especially about your eyes, or your skin where something has hit you: Her eyes were smarting from the thick smoke. | Jackson’s face was still smarting from the punch.
   ▪ burn to feel very hot and painful or uncomfortable: Be careful because this chemical will make your skin burn. | His eyes were burning because of the gas.
   ▪ pinch if something you are wearing pinches you, it is too tight and presses painfully on your skin: The shirt was a bit too small and it was pinching my neck.
   ▪ something is killing me spoken informal used when something feels very painful: My legs are killing me. | These shoes are killing me.
   ▪ a bad back/leg/arm etc if you have a bad back/leg/arm etc, it feels painful: He’s off work with a bad back.

II

ache² noun [countable]
1. a continuous pain that is not sharp or very strong:
    a stomach ache
    A dull ache throbbed at the back of David’s head.
    aches and pains (=slight feelings of pain that are not considered to be serious)
    Apart from the usual aches and pains, she felt all right.
2. a strong, mostly unhappy, feeling:
    the ache of his loneliness
—achy adjective:
    I’m feeling tired and achy.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ pain noun [uncountable and countable] the feeling when part of your body hurts: A broken leg can cause a lot of pain. | He felt a sharp pain in his chest.
   ▪ ache noun [uncountable and countable] a continuous pain, especially one that is not very bad. Most commonly used in compounds such as headache, toothache, and backache: I felt an ache in my back after decorating all day. | Driving gives me a headache. | I’ve got stomach ache. | Do you have earache?
   ▪ twinge noun [countable] a sudden slight pain that comes and then disappears quickly: When I bent down I felt a twinge in my back.
   ▪ discomfort noun [uncountable] formal an uncomfortable feeling in your body, or a slight pain: The procedure takes five minutes and only causes slight discomfort.
   ▪ agony noun [uncountable] a feeling of great pain, or a situation in which you feel a lot of pain: the agony of childbirth | I was in agony by the time I got to the hospital. | It was agony (=very painful)getting up out of bed.
   ▪ suffering noun [uncountable] continuous physical or mental pain, which makes someone very unhappy: I just wanted someone to put an end to my suffering. | the suffering of the earthquake victims