From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishacheache1 /eɪk/ ●○○ verb [intransitive] 1 MIif 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.► see thesaurus at hurtRegisterIn 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 WANTto want to do or have something very muchache 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 feelingache with Sarah ached with sadness that her brother was so ill. Tim’s heart was aching for her.→ 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.acheache2 ●○○ noun [countable] 1 MIa 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.► see thesaurus at pain2 WANTa strong, mostly unhappy, feeling the ache of his loneliness —achy adjective I’m feeling tired and achy.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 