cough

[kawf, kof]

verb (used without object)

1. to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh noise, often involuntarily.

2. (of an internal-combustion engine) to make a similar noise as a result of the failure of one or more cylinders to fire in sequence.

3. to make a similar sound, as a machine gun firing in spurts.

verb (used with object)

1. to expel by coughing (usually followed by up orout ).

   to cough up phlegm.

noun

1. the act or sound of coughing.

2. an illness characterized by frequent coughing.

3. a sound similar to a cough, a machine gun, or an engine firing improperly.

verb phrase

1. cough up

   1. to relinquish, especially reluctantly; contribute; give.

   2. to blurt out; state, as by way of making a confession.

      After several hours of vigorous questioning by the police, he finally coughed up the information.

cough

/ kɒf /

verb

1. (intr) to expel air or solid matter from the lungs abruptly and explosively through the partially closed vocal chords

2. (intr) to make a sound similar to this

3. (tr) to utter or express with a cough or coughs

4. slang,  (intr) to confess to a crime

noun

1. an act, instance, or sound of coughing

2. a condition of the lungs or throat that causes frequent coughing

cough

1. The act of expelling air from the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to keep the respiratory passages free of irritating material.

Other Word Forms

• cougher noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cough¹

1275–1325; Middle English coghen, apparently < Old English *cohhian (compare its derivative cohhettan to cough); akin to Dutch kuchen to cough, German keuchen to wheeze

Word History and Origins

Origin of cough¹

Old English cohhetten; related to Middle Dutch kochen, Middle High German kūchen to wheeze; probably of imitative origin

Example Sentences

In a packed waiting hall outside the doctor's consulting room, anxious parents stood in line with children sneezing, coughing or complaining of breathing difficulties.

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Other vaccine-preventable diseases such as whooping cough also are on the rise.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In his one half of duty, the Browns were held scoreless and coughed away the lead.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Bruins coughed up two fumbles in the first half and would have lost a third had the Huskies not been called for defensive holding on the play, nullifying the turnover.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In fact, her Jewish lover was lying in the base of a heavy mahogany sofa bed that was locked from the inside; he had codeine to suppress his persistent cough.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bark 
• choke 
• hack 
• vomit 
• whoop