headache

headache

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English hevedeche, from Old English hēafodeċe. By surface analysis, head +‎ ache.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈhɛdeɪk/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛdeɪk

Noun

headache (plural headaches)

  2. (medicine) A pain or ache in the head.
    I have a splitting headache after that party last night.
    I advise you to take some painkillers for the headache, it's probably nothing serious.
    • 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 51:
      The beauty and brilliancy of this insect are indescribable, and none but a naturalist can understand the intense excitement I experienced when I at length captured it. On taking it out of my net and opening the glorious wings, my heart began to beat violently, the blood rushed to my head, and I felt much more like fainting than I have done when in apprehension of immediate death. I had a headache the rest of the day, so great was the excitement produced by what will appear to most people a very inadequate cause.
    • 1997, George Carlin, “Sports Roundup”, in Brain Droppings‎[1], New York City: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 68:
      Sometimes on television they tell you a product is "good for headaches." I don't want something that's good for headaches. I want something that's bad for headaches. And good for me.
    • 2024 November 24, Chris Boyette, “Investigators release update on BioLab chemical plant fire probe”, in CNN‎[2], archived from the original on 30 August 2025:
      CNN spoke recently with several Conyers residents who said they still have blurry vision, shortness of breath, throat irritation or chronic headaches since the chemical plant fire.
  3. (figurative) A nuisance or unpleasant problem.
    The clumsy filing system has been a huge headache.
    • 1957 May, Walter McGrath, “The Thurles-Clonmel Line, C.I.E.”, in Railway Magazine, page 319:
      Bogland now dominates the scene and the construction engineers must have suffered many a headache in seeking to secure a firm foundation.

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