headache

[hed-eyk] /ˈhɛdˌeɪk/

noun

a pain located in the head, as over the eyes, at the temples, or at the base of the skull.

an annoying or bothersome person, situation, activity, etc.

Origin

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hēafodece. See head, ache

Examples from the web for headache

Budgeting, usually a headache endured annually, has become a chronic migraine for many city governments.
Abnormalities in serotonin levels have been observed in both tension-type and migraine headache sufferers.
Migraine is more than a headache: it is intensely painful and has distinct phases.
Migraine headaches-- spots of light, halos, or zigzag patterns are common symptoms prior to the start of the headache.
But for many of them, it's also the return of headache season.
Regulations have always been an expensive headache for administrators.
The weekend of the inauguration is going to be a huge traffic headache.
There are lots of programs available, but each has drawbacks, and getting cameras to work properly is a huge headache.
Diagnosing the cause of persistent daily headache can be difficult.
It was headache after headache and the end result was a book that she was not at all happy with.

British Dictionary definitions for headache

headache

/ˈhɛdˌeɪk/

noun

pain in the head, caused by dilation of cerebral arteries, muscle contraction, insufficient oxygen in the cerebral blood, reaction to drugs, etc Technical name cephalalgia

(informal) any cause of worry, difficulty, or annoyance

Word Origin and History for headache

Old English heafodece; see head (n.) + ache (n.). Colloquial sense of "troublesome problem" is first recorded 1934.

headache in Medicine

headache head·ache (hěd'āk')
n.
A pain in the head. Also called cephalalgia.

headache in Science

headache

(hěd'āk')
Pain in the head, caused by stimulation of or pressure to any of various structures of the head, such as tissue covering the cranium, cranial nerves, or blood vessels. Headache can be a primary disorder, as in migraine or cluster headaches, or a common symptom associated with head injury or many illnesses such as acute infection, brain tumor or abscess, eye disorders such as glaucoma, dental disease, and hypertension. See also cluster headache, migraine.

Slang definitions & phrases for headache

headache

noun

Any trouble, annoyance, vexation, etc: another headache for pro coaches (1934+)