ache /āk/ [OE, acan, to hurt] , 1. a pain or discomfort characterized by persistence, dullness, and usually moderate intensity. An ache may be localized, such as a stomachache, headache, or bone ache, or a general ache, as in the myalgia that accompanies a viral infection or a persistent fever. 2. to suffer from a dull, persistent pain of moderate intensity.
