ail

To ail is to be sick.

• Henry is ailing from a bad back.
• Jennifer is taking care of her ailing mother. (In this sentence "ailing" is an adjective.)
• This medicine will surely cure what ails you.
• Oscar had been ailing from a mysterious sickness for weeks until he saw the doctor.
• What’s ailing you?

The word "ailment" is a noun:

• A doctor can tell you exactly what kind of ailment you have.
• Some ailments are curable with medicine; others aren’t.
• An ear infection is a common ailment.
• Bina is suffering from an incurable ailment.
• Acid reflux is an ailment that occurs in the digestive system.

 He has some sort of stomach ailment that will require treatment from a doctor.

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November 1, 2015