ach

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See also: ACH, aćh, -ach, ách, and ạch

Translingual

Symbol

ach

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Acholi.

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English ache, from Old French ache, from Latin apium (parsley).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

ach (plural aches)

  1. (obsolete) Any of several species of plants, such as smallage, wild celery, parsley.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. An expression of annoyance.
    • 1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972:
      "Ach." Auntie frowned hugely. "That is all nonsense."
  2. An expression of woe or regret.
  3. Alternative form of och

Anagrams

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle High German ahte, from Old High German ahto, from Proto-West Germanic *ahtō, from Proto-Germanic *ahtōu, from Proto-Indo-European *oḱtṓw.

Pronunciation

Numeral

ach

  1. (Limburgan Ripuarian) eight (numerical value represented by the Arabic numeral 8; or describing a set with eight elements)

Derived terms

Further reading

  • “ach” in d'r nuie Kirchröadsjer Dieksiejoneer 2nd ed., 2017.

Chuukese

Determiner

ach

  1. First-person plural inclusive general possessive; our (inclusive)

Cimbrian

Alternative forms

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronoun

ach

  1. (Sette Comuni) accusative of iart: you (plural; polite singular)

See also

References

  • “ach” in Martalar, Umberto Martello, Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo

Dutch

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. oh, expresses compassion, surprise and dismay

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: ag
  • Papiamentu: ag
  • Peranakan Indonesian: ach

Esperanto

Interjection

ach

  1. H-system spelling of

German

Etymology

From Middle High German ach, from Old High German ah.

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. oh, alas (expressing surprise, sorrow, or understanding)
    • 1808, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Vor dem Thor”, in Faust: Der Tragödie erster Teil [Faust, Part One]‎; republished as Bayard Taylor, transl., 1870:
      Zwey Seelen wohnen, ach! in meiner Brust, / Die eine will sich von der andern trennen;
      Two souls, alas! reside within my breast, / And each withdraws from, and repels, its brother.
  2. oh (preceding an offhand or annoyed remark)
  3. oh (preceding an invocation or address, but rarely a solemn one)

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Danish: ah
    • Norwegian Bokmål: ah, a
  • Yiddish: אַך (akh)

Further reading

  • ach” in Duden online
  • Friedrich Kluge (1883) “ach”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891
  • ach” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Irish

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Irish acht (but, except), from Proto-Celtic *extos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs.

Alternative forms

Conjunction

ach

  1. but

Preposition

ach (plus nominative, triggers no mutation)

  1. except, but
Derived terms

Adverb

ach

  1. but, only, merely

Etymology 2

Onomatopoeic.

Alternative forms

Interjection

ach!

  1. ah! och! ugh!

Further reading

Kashubian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *axъ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈax/
  • Rhymes: -ax
  • Syllabification: ach

Interjection

ach

  1. ah! expresses surprise, fear, pleasure, sadness, sudden understanding

Further reading

  • Stefan Ramułt (1893) “aχ!”, in Słownik języka pomorskiego czyli kaszubskiego (in Kashubian), page 2
  • Sychta, Bernard (1967) “aχ!”, in Słownik gwar kaszubskich [Dictionary of Kashubian dialects] (in Polish), volumes 1 (A – Ǵ), Wrocław: Ossolineum, page 3
  • Jan Trepczyk (1994) “ach!”, in Słownik polsko-kaszubski (in Kashubian), volumes 1–2
  • Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “ach!”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi
  • ach!”, in Internetowi Słowôrz Kaszëbsczégò Jãzëka [Internet Dictionary of the Kashubian Language], Fundacja Kaszuby, 2022

Lithuanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Polish ach.

Interjection

ach (archaic)

  1. o (used to address someone or a group)

Further reading

Middle Low German

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. oh (an expression of grievance or displeasure)

North Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian achta. Compare West Frisian acht.

Numeral

ach

  1. (Heligoland) eight

Old Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *axъ. First attested in the 14th century.

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. (attested in Silesia) ah! expresses surprise
    • 1915 [End of the 15th century], Jan Łoś, editor, Przegląd językowych zabytków staropolskich do r. 1543, page 315:
      Ach boze moy, pomozy my
      [Ach Boże moj, pomoży mi]
    • 1915 [Middle of the 15th century], Jan Łoś, editor, Przegląd językowych zabytków staropolskich do r. 1543, page 514:
      Ach nyestocze proch dolor
      [Ach niestocie proch dolor]
    • 1885-2024 [End of the 15th century], Jan Baudouina de Courtenay, Jan Karłowicz, Antoni Adam Kryńskiego, Malinowski Lucjan, editors, Prace Filologiczne, volume III, Wrocław, page 289:
      Ach gelacze heu
      [Ach jełacie heu]
    • Middle of the 15th century, Rozmyślanie o żywocie Pana Jezusa, page 56:
      Takoż płakał rzekąc: Ach mnie nędznemu
      [Takoż płakał rzekąc: Ach mnie nędznemu]

Descendants

  • Polish: ach
  • Silesian: ach
  • Lithuanian: ach

References

  • Boryś, Wiesław (2005) “ach”, in Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego (in Polish), Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie, →ISBN
  • Sławski, Franciszek (1958-1965) “ach”, in Jan Safarewicz, Andrzej Siudut, editors, Słownik etymologiczny języka polskiego [Etymological dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), Kraków: Towarzystwo Miłośników Języka Polskiego
  • B. Sieradzka-Baziur, Ewa Deptuchowa, Joanna Duska, Mariusz Frodyma, Beata Hejmo, Dorota Janeczko, Katarzyna Jasińska, Krystyna Kajtoch, Joanna Kozioł, Marian Kucała, Dorota Mika, Gabriela Niemiec, Urszula Poprawska, Elżbieta Supranowicz, Ludwika Szelachowska-Winiarzowa, Zofia Wanicowa, Piotr Szpor, Bartłomiej Borek, editors (2011–2015), “ach”, in Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego [Conceptual Dictionary of Old Polish] (in Polish), Kraków: IJP PAN, →ISBN

Peranakan Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch ach (oh).

Interjection

ach

  1. oh, expresses compassion, surprise and dismay
    Ach, ia laen tida minta doeit.[1](please add an English translation of this usage example)

Descendants

  • >? Indonesian: ah

References

  1. ^ Kwee Hing Tjiat (1921) Doea Kapala Batoe [Two Hardheaded (Persons)] (in Peranakan Indonesian), Nauer & Dimmick, page 10

Polish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish ach.

Pronunciation

 
  • Audio 1:(file)
  • Audio 2:(file)
  • Rhymes: -ax
  • Syllabification: ach

Interjection

ach

  1. ah! expresses surprise, fear, pleasure, sadness, sudden understanding
    Synonyms: och, ojej, ależ

Derived terms

adjective
interjections
noun
verbs

Further reading

  • ach in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • ach in Polish dictionaries at PWN
  • Maria Renata Mayenowa, Stanisław Rospond, Witold Taszycki, Stefan Hrabec, Władysław Kuraszkiewicz (2010-2023) “ach, ah”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish]
  • Krystyna Siekierska (08.06.2022) “ACH”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century]
  • Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “ach”, in Słownik języka polskiego, volume 1, pages 3-4
  • Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “ach”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
  • J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1900), “ach”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 1, Warsaw, page 6
  • Zofia Stamirowska (1987-2024) “ach”, in Anna Basara, editor, Słownik gwar Ostródzkiego, Warmii i Mazur, volume 1, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich Wydawnictwo Polskiej Akademii Nauk, →ISBN, pages 112-113

Scots

Etymology

In imitation of a cry.

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. An exclamation of impatience, disappointment, contempt, remonstrance.
  2. expression of satisfaction or pleasure.

References

Scottish Gaelic

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Old Irish acht (but, except), from Proto-Celtic *extos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs-tos.

Conjunction

ach

  1. but
    Thèid mise ach cha tèid thusa.I'll go but you won't .
  2. except, only
    Cha robh ann ach trì daoine.There were only three people (literally "there was not there but/except for three people").

Etymology 2

Shortened form of feuch.

Conjunction

ach

  1. so that
    Dh'aontaich e ach am biodh adhartas air choireigin ann.He agreed so that there would be some progress.

References

Silesian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Polish ach.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈax/
  • Rhymes: -ax
  • Syllabification: ach

Interjection

ach

  1. ah! expresses surprise, fear, pleasure, sadness, sudden understanding

Further reading

  • ach in silling.org
  • Henryk Jaroszewicz (2022) “ach”, in Zasady pisowni języka śląskiego (in Polish), Siedlce: Wydawnictwo Naukowe IKRBL, page 61
  • Aleksandra Wencel (2023) “ach!”, in Dykcjůnôrz ślų̊sko-polski, page 7

Slovincian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *axъ.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈax/
  • Rhymes: -ax
  • Syllabification: ach

Interjection

ach

  1. ah! expresses surprise, fear, pleasure, sadness, sudden understanding

Further reading

Temascaltepec Nahuatl

Adverb

ach

  1. maybe

Welsh

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *akkā, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekkeh₂ (compare Latin Acca (Larentia), a Roman goddess, Ancient Greek Ἀκκώ (Akkṓ, nurse of Demeter), Sanskrit अक्का (akkā, mother)).

Pronunciation

Noun

ach f (plural achau or achoedd)

  1. kinship
  2. pedigree, ancestry
  3. (in the plural) lineage
  4. (in the plural) genealogy, family roots
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

och, ych

Pronunciation

Interjection

ach

  1. yuck
Derived terms

ach-y-fi

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal h-prothesis
ach unchanged unchanged hach
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “ach”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies