My fever/cold/headache isn't going/going away.

[Ashraful Haque]

"My fever/cold/headache isn't going/going away."
"Don't worry your fever/cold/headache will go away"

When talking about fever/cold/headache do we say going or going away?

I've also heard 'wear off'- It'll take two hours for the anesthesia to wear off.

 

[GoesStation]

Your first sentences need the phrasal verb "going away".

"Wear off" is fine for anesthesia. If you want to use it with a disease or condition, you need to say something like the effects of the condition may take up to two weeks to wear off.

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we might say "I'm waiting for my headache to go off".

 

[jutfrank]

In BrE, we might say "I'm waiting for my headache to go off".

That sounds very odd to me. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say that.

For a headache, I might well use the version without away.

My headache isn't going.
I'm waiting for my headache to go.

 

[Tarheel]

The British and the Americans -- separated by the same language.
----- Winston Churchill

 

[emsr2d2]

The British and the Americans -- separated by the same language.
----- Winston Churchill

Normally I would agree with you, but jutfrank and I are both BrE speakers (if I'm interpreting jutfrank's member info correctly). If that's the case, I'm truly staggered that he's unfamiliar with the usage. I would say almost all of my friends and family say things like:

I'm waiting for my headache to go off.
If I can just get this headache to go off, I'll come to the pub.
I wish this bl**dy headache would go off - it's driving me mad.

 

[jutfrank]

Normally I would agree with you, but jutfrank and I are both BrE speakers (if I'm interpreting jutfrank's member info correctly). If that's the case, I'm truly staggered that he's unfamiliar with the usage.

Interesting. I'm similarly surprised. As I say, I don't think I've ever even heard that usage.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

That sounds very odd to me. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say that.

For a headache, I might well use the version without away.

My headache isn't going.
I'm waiting for my headache to go.

So there's no difference between 'going' and 'going away' in such contexts? What about things like pimples or dandruff or even a scar on the face?
Do we say:
"My dandruff is still not going"
"The scar is not going"
"Why aren't these pimples going?"

 

[GoesStation]

So there's no difference between 'going' and 'going away' in such contexts? What about things like pimples or dandruff or even a scar on the face?
Do we say:
"My dandruff is still not going"
"The scar is not going"
"Why aren't these pimples going?"

None of these are possible in American English. You'd have to use going away.

 

[emsr2d2]

That sounds very odd to me. I don't believe I've ever heard anyone say that.

I'm with jutfrank on this. 'Go off' sound unnatural to me in this context.

Interesting. I'm similarly surprised. As I say, I don't think I've ever even heard that usage.

Well, my gast is flabbered! Just my entire family and all my friends then!

 

[Ashraful Haque]

None of these are possible in American English. You'd have to use going away.

Thank you very much. I was actually looking for the American way of saying it. So just to be clear, all of the following sound natural in AmE:
"My dandruff is still not going away"
"The scar is not going away"
"Why aren't these pimples going away?"
"My fever/cold/headache isn't going/going away."
"Don't worry your fever/cold/headache will go away"

 

[GoesStation]

Thank you very much. I was actually looking for the American way of saying it. So just to be clear, all of the following sound natural in AmE:
"My dandruff is still not going away"
"The scar is not going away"
"Why aren't these pimples going away?"
"My fever/cold/headache isn't [STRIKE]going/[/STRIKE]going away."
"Don't worry. Your fever/cold/headache will go away"

They'll be OK, with my corrections and with final punctuation.

 

[emsr2d2]

I was actually looking for the American way of saying it.

It would have been much more useful to give us that information in post #1, not post #14. It would have saved non-AmE speakers the effort of replying.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

It would have been much more useful to give us that information in post #1, not post #14. It would have saved non-AmE speakers the effort of replying.

Yes but it really helps to know both. Cause sometimes I get really confused while watching British movies/shows, or reading a British article. It always helps to know the small differences even though I like to speak in the American way.