Pa. t. and pple. ached. Forms: Inf. 1 acan; 2–4 aken, -in, eken; 3–9 ake; 8–9 ache. Ind. pres. 3rd sing. 1 æcð; 2–4 akþ, akeþ. Pa. t. 1–2 óc; 2–4 ok; 3–4 ook; 4–5 oke; 4–5 akede, -ide; 5– aked; 8–9 ached. Pa. pple. 1 acen; 2–3 aken; soon obs. and repl. by aked; 8–9 ached. A late Sc. variant is ȝaik, yak(e. [Originally a strong vb. of same class as take, shake, but with weak inflections since 4. The current spelling ache is erroneous; the vb. being historically ake, and the sb. ache, as in bake, batch, speak, speech. About 1700 the sb. began to be confused in pronunciation with the vb., whence some confusion in spelling between ache and ake; and finally instead of both being written ake—the word that has survived,—both vb. and sb. are now written ache—the word that has become obsolete. That is, the word ache has become obs. and been replaced by the word ake, while the spelling ake has become obs. and been replaced by the spelling ache. For this paradoxical result, Dr. Johnson is mainly responsible: ignorant of the history of the words, and erroneously deriving them from the Gr. ἄχος (with which they have no connection) he declared them ‘more grammatically written ache.’ See next word.] To be in pain, to have the sensation of pain continuous or prolonged; to throb with pain.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., 36 (MS. D.). Acað míne eáʓan.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 149. Þenne wule his hearte ake alse his fet & his honde.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 21. Ðe time cam swo þat hire ne oc. ne ne smeart.
c. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 360. Betere is finker offe þen he eke euer.
a. 1225. Juliana (R. MS.), 48. Ant bond … ba twa his honden þat him eoc euch neil.
1297. R. Glouc., 208. Ech lyme hym ok.
c. 1305. St. Andrew, in E. E. Poems (1862), 100. Him oke ech bon.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. VI. 258. So owre wombe aketh.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Kings xv. 23. In the tyme of his eelde he akide the feet.
c. 1385. Chaucer, Leg. Good W., 706. I preye God lat oure hedes nevere ake!
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 159. Þauh alle my fyngres oken.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 6910. Sadde burdons that men taken, Make folkes shuldris aken.
1413. Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle (1483), V. xiv. 105. When I the Appel took Hit sat so nyhe my sydes that they ook.
c. 1430. Hymns to Virg. (1867), 80. Oure body wole icche, oure bonis wole ake.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Akyn: doleo.
1572. Lament. Lady Scotland (Scottish Poems 16th Cent.), II. 243. My heid dois wark and ȝaik.
1595. Shaks., John, IV. i. 41. When your head did but ake I knit my hand-kercher about your browes.
1664. Butler, Hudibras, II. ii. 797. Cramm’d ’em till their Guts did ake With Cawdle, Custard and Plumcake.
1729. Savage, Wanderer, i. 176. Now veers the wind full east; and keen, and sore, Its cutting influence aches in every pore!
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1781), I. xxx. 216. Does not your heart ake for your Harriet?
1821. Keats, Isabella, xxviii. Ah! when a soul doth thus its freedom win It aches in loneliness.
1821. Combe, Dr. Syntax, Consolation, iii. 187. Her death made many a bosom ake Upon the banks of Keswick Lake.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Prom. Bound, Poems, I. 153. Thy sorrow aches in me.
† 2. trans. causal. To make to ache. Obs. rare.
1566. Udall, R. Doyster, IV. vi. (1847), 68. Ill ake your heades bothe! I was never werier, Nor never more vexte, since the first day I was borne.
