stomach-ache
Definition
- Noun:
- Pain in the stomach or abdomen: "stomach-ache" refers to a physical pain or discomfort felt in the area of the stomach or abdomen, often caused by indigestion, illness, or other medical conditions.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- She had a terrible stomach-ache after eating too much spicy food. (Pain in the stomach due to overeating.)
- The child complained of a stomach-ache and was taken to the doctor. (Abdominal pain requiring medical attention.)
Advanced Usage
"to have a stomach-ache": to experience pain in the stomach.
- He said he had a stomach-ache and could not go to school. (He felt abdominal pain.)
"a stomach-ache of nerves": (figurative) a feeling of nervousness or anxiety that causes physical discomfort in the stomach.
- Before the big exam, she felt a stomach-ache of nerves. (Anxiety-induced abdominal discomfort.)
Variants and Related Words
Stomach (n): the internal organ where food is digested.
- His stomach was full after the large meal. (The digestive organ.)
Ache (n): a continuous or prolonged dull pain.
- She had a toothache that kept her awake. (A dull pain in a specific body part.)
Stomach-achy (adj): causing or characterized by a stomach-ache.
- The rich dessert was a bit stomach-achy. (The dessert caused mild abdominal discomfort.)
Synonyms
Bellyache: an informal term for pain in the abdomen.
- He complained of a bellyache after the picnic. (Pain in the belly area.)
Tummy ache: a child-friendly or informal term for stomach pain.
- The little girl said she had a tummy ache. (Abdominal pain, usually mild.)
Related Idioms
A pain in the stomach: a direct way to describe stomach-ache.
- After the spoiled milk, he had a real pain in the stomach. (Literal stomach pain.)
To have butterflies in one’s stomach: to feel nervous, not a literal ache, but often confused with stomach discomfort.
- She had butterflies in her stomach before the speech. (Nervous feeling, not necessarily pain.)