cough up

verb

1. informal,  to surrender (money, information, etc), esp reluctantly

2. (tr) to bring into the mouth or eject (phlegm, food, etc) by coughing

Idioms and Phrases

Hand over or relinquish, especially money; pay up. For example, It's time the delinquent members coughed up their dues . [ Slang ; late 1800s]

Confess or divulge, as in Pretty soon she'd cough up the whole story about last night . This idiom transfers the act of vomiting to telling the entire truth. [ Slang ; late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Advocates say one hunger striker was taken out on a stretcher after coughing up blood the night before.

From Los Angeles Times

All that, however, would be washed away with that loose ball in the end zone, the second fumble Illinois had coughed up that close to the end zone.

From Los Angeles Times

The Rangers fans would cough up a lot more than that for an audience with the man, for a chance to air their views by way of a venting of the spleen.

From BBC

For the first time in what felt like several weeks, a scuffling bullpen finally didn’t cough up a late, narrow lead.

From Los Angeles Times

Within hours she was coughing up mucus, and as the days went on she felt her energy levels rising again.

From BBC

Related Words

• allocate 
• concentrate 
• consume 
• contribute 
• donate 
• drop 
• employ 
• expend 
• give 
• invest 
• put in 
• settle 
• use 
• waste