ache

UK: /ˈeɪk/ US: /eɪk/ ,(āk)

Inflections of 'ache' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

aches

v 3rd person singular

aching

v pres p

ached

v past

ached

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ache /eɪk/   v., ached/eɪkt/  ach•ing, n. 
v. [no object]

1. Pathology to have a continuous dull pain:
   His back ached from lifting.
2. to want (something) very much;
   yearn;
   long: [ ~ + for + obj]:
   was aching for a hot shower.
   [ ~ + to + verb]:
   ached to have a drink.

n. [countable]

3. Pathology a continuous dull pain.

ach•ing•ly, adv. 
ach•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ache  (āk), v., ached, ach•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. Pathology to have or suffer a continuous, dull pain:
   His whole body ached.
2. to feel great sympathy, pity, or the like:
   Her heart ached for the starving animals.
3. to feel eager;
   yearn;
   long:
   She ached to be the champion. He's just aching to get even.

n. 

4. Pathology a 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

Synonyms

• 1. hurt.
• 4. See pain. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ache / eɪk/ verb (intransitive)

1. to feel, suffer, or be the source of a continuous dull pain
2. to suffer mental anguish

noun

1. a continuous dull pain

Etymology: Old English ācan (vb), æce (n), Middle English aken (vb), ache (n). Compare bake, batch

ˈaching adjective