cough

American  

[kawf, kof] / kɔf, kɒf /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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noun

1. an act, instance, or sound of coughing

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

cough Scientific  

/ kôf,kŏf /

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

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Other Word Forms

• cougher
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cough

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

Explanation

A cough is a reflex in which your throat or lungs are cleared by a sudden, sharp burst of air escaping. A bad cough can make it very hard to sleep at night. A cough is evidence that someone's sick, and it's a verb as well: "She began to cough and couldn't stop until someone brought her a bottle of water." You can also describe a cough-like sound that an engine makes when it's not working properly as a cough. The Old English source of cough is coughen, from a Germanic root — every version of the word is imitative, the word itself sounding like a cough.

Example Sentences

Local authorities said the man in São Paulo had "exhibited symptoms such as fever", while the man in Rio de Janeiro, from Belgium, had shown "viral symptoms such as cough, chills and diarrhoea".

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

“When he goes to the doctor for a cough and chest pain, they simply give him two Tylenols,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

Officials said they are monitoring all cruise passengers for flulike symptoms like fever, body aches, dizziness, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

Although it is not a vaccine, the vitamin K shot has been swept up in the same post-pandemic tide that has led to a drop in key childhood vaccines, including for measles and whooping cough.

From Salon • May 7, 2026

She released a ragged cough, which was curious, because Gingersnipes had not known birds capable of coughing.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• bark
• choke
• hack
• vomit
• whoop