ache

The word ache is a good example of the way that English spelling and pronunciation have developedand in many case have diverged from eacj other.

This noun comes from Old English and used to be pronounced ‘aitch’ (like the letter H), whereas the verb was originally spelled ake and pronounced the way ache is today. Around 1700, though, people started pronouncing thenoun like the verb. It is the spelling of the noun that has survived, but the verb is said in the way the verb (ake) used to be.

The modern spelling is largely due to the lexicographer Dr Johnson who mistakenly assumed that the word came from Greek akhos ‘pain’.

Other pairs of words that have survived into modern Emglish with k-for-the-verb and ch-for-the-noun spellings include speak and speech and break and breach.

When can I say ache? An ache is discomfort that continues for some time. It is usually associated with a specific part of the body, such as a headache, a stomachache, a toothache, an earache. After you exercise, the next day your muscles will probably ache.

Synonyms for ache: anguish, misery, pang, soreness, spasm, twinge, hurt, pounding.

Is pain and ache the same thing? Unlike pain, ache can be used in the progressive form. For example: My back is really aching. I wish my leg would stop hurting, it really aches.

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