ail
verb
Pronunciation: /eɪl/
Definition
Cause physical pain, discomfort, or distress to someone.
Examples
The mysterious illness continued to ail the elderly man for several weeks.
Whatever is ailing you, I am sure the physician will find a remedy.
How to Use ail
- ail someone (collocation)
- To cause a specific person to suffer. — "The chronic back pain continued to ail the athlete."
- what ails you (idiom)
- A rhetorical or direct question asking what is wrong. — "He looked so miserable that I finally asked him what ailed him."
Synonyms of ail
Words with a similar meaning to ail:
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