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backache

American  
[bak-eyk] / ˈbækˌeɪk /

noun

backaches plural
  1. a pain, especially in the lumbar region of the back, usually caused by the strain of a muscle or ligament.


backache British  
/ ˈbækˌeɪk /

noun

  1. an ache or pain in one's back

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of backache

First recorded in 1595–1605; back 1 + ache

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Fergison added that she had been worried that a new bout of backache was a sign that her cancer had returned but tests showed her initial treatment had "got all the cancer".

From BBC Apr. 29, 2024

The Food and Drug Administration has approved capsaicin for the topical treatment of pain from arthritis, backache, strains and sprains.

From Seattle Times Feb. 14, 2024

The symptoms of premature labor can include contractions, unusual vaginal discharge, the feeling of pressure in the pelvic area, low dull backache or cramps in the uterus or abdomen.

From Salon Aug. 7, 2023

Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion, the CDC said.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 23, 2022

It would not go away with aspirin^ .. and then he got a severe backache.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Freya from North Yorkshire says she feels tired all the time and gets headaches, backaches and rashes and has to use a wheelchair.

From BBC Jun. 15, 2022

The letter goes on to discuss the severe backaches of women of the era, particularly those women who had to remain seated.

From Salon Feb. 23, 2022

And they are safer than and at least as effective as opioids for arthritis pain and lower backaches.

From Scientific American Oct. 27, 2021

Days later, I awoke with chills of my own, backaches, and crippling fatigue.

From Slate Aug. 2, 2021

We are only gate-crashers in this fantasy, however, forced to pay for our presence with backaches and perpetual thirst.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

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