Felt a continuous, dull pain; suffered from discomfort that lasted without being sharp or sudden.
From Old English 'acan' or related to Proto-Germanic roots meaning 'to hurt or pain.' The word has described persistent pain for over 1,000 years with relatively unchanged meaning.
We distinguish 'ache' from 'pain' by duration—sharp pain is momentary, but when you 'ache,' it's the long, slow kind that makes you aware of your body all day, which is probably why athletes and old people use this word constantly.
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