headache
//ˈhɛdeɪk//
Forms
- Plural
- headaches
Definitions
1.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.
- 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.
2.A nuisance or unpleasant problem.
- The clumsy filing system has been a huge headache.
- Bogland now dominates the scene and the construction engineers must have suffered many a headache in seeking to secure a firm foundation.
Frequency
Overall
Rare· #4834
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English hevedeche, from Old English hēafodeċe.
By surface analysis, head + ache.