Forms: 1 ace, æce, ece; 2–3 eche; 2–9 ache; (4 hacche); 6 atche. [OE. æce is a primary deriv. of vb. ac-an to ACHE, in which, as in parallel forms, the c was palatalized to ch, while in the vb. it remained; cf. make, match; bake, batch; wake, watch; break, breach; speak, speech; stick, stitch. Occasional early instances of ake as sb. are northern, in which dialect c was not palatalized, cf. make = match, steik = stitch, kirk = church. In 7 the sb. was still atche pl. atch-es, but about 1700 it began to be confused with the vb. The spelling of the latter has in turn been changed to ache, so that though both vb. and sb. are now really ake, both are in current spelling written ache. See prec. The former pronunciation survives in the dialectal eddage = head-ache; cf. Smallage for Small Ache f. ACHE sb.2 The ‘O.P.’ rioters, ignorant of the Shakespearian distinction of ake and ache, ridiculed the stage pronunciation of the sb. by giving it to the vb. in ‘John Kemble’s head aitches.’] A pain; in later usage, a continuous or abiding pain, in contrast to a sudden or sharp one. Used of both physical and mental sensations.
c. 885. K. Ælfred, Bæda, V. iii. (1722), 616. Eal ðæt sár and se æce onwæʓ alæded wæs.
c. 940. Sax. Leechd., II. 32. Maniʓ man hæfþ micelne ece on his eaʓum.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 165. Eche and smertinge, sorinesse, werinesse.
c. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 360. He þet naueð eche under so sor ekinde heaued.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 826. So harde hacches of loue here hert hadde þirled.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Kings xv. 23. Asa hadde ache in feet.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 8. Ake, or ache, or akynge: Dolor.
1568. Turner, Herbal, 20. Catarres, runninges of the eyes and other aykes.
1592. H. Chettle, Kind-Harts Dr. (1841), 22. These trauelers that, by incision, are able to ease all atches.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. iv. 56. Beat. I am exceeding ill, hey ho. Mar. For a hauke, a horse, or a husband? Beat. For the letter that begins them all, H. Ibid. (1610), Temp., I. ii. 370. Ile racke thee with old Crampes Fill all thy bones with Aches, make thee rore.
1674. J. B[rian], Harvest-Home, § 4. 23. Free from attaches Of sickness weakness, in no part feel aches.
1727. Swift, City Shower, Wks. 1755, III. ii. 38. A coming show’r your shooting corns presage, Old aches throb, your hollow tooth will rage.
1794. Coleridge, To a Young Ass, Poems (1864), 22.
| The starving meal, all the thousand aches | |
| ‘Which patient merit of the unworthy takes?’ |
1807. Crabbe, Village, I. 149. And hoard up aches and anguish for their age.
1862. B. Taylor, Poet’s Journal (1866), 21. The steady ache of strong desires restrained.
