A splitting headache is a very severe and painful one.
splitting in British English
(ˈsplɪtɪŋ)
adjective
1.
(of a headache) intolerably painful; acute
2.
(of the head) assailed by an overpowering unbearable pain
noun
3. psychoanalysis
the Freudian defence mechanism in which an object or idea (or, alternatively, the ego) is separated into two or more parts in order to remove its threatening meaning
splitting in American English
(ˈsplɪtɪŋ)
adjective
1.
that splits
2.
a.
aching severely: said of the head
b.
severe, as a headache
Examples of 'splitting' in a sentence
splitting
The woman paused as the door slammed behind her, then peeled off to the right, splitting from the others --- Good.
Nicola Barker BEHINDLINGS (2002)
The front of the building looked oddly faded, the paint splitting, the glass dirty.
Gee, Maggie LOST CHILDREN (2002)
All related terms of 'splitting'
split
If something splits or if you split it, it is divided into two or more parts.
ear-splitting
An ear-splitting noise is very loud.
fee-splitting
giving to a colleague who makes the referral part of the fee charged to a referred client or patient
side-splitting
Something that is side-splitting is very funny and makes you laugh a lot .
split-off
If people split off from a group, they stop being part of the group and become separated from it.
split up
If two people split up , or if someone or something splits them up , they end their relationship or marriage .
crude oil splitting tower
A crude oil splitting tower is a vessel into which crude oil enters , at the bottom , and where the different components are obtained by a splitting process, rather than rearranging the molecules .