laughing

[ laf-ing, lah-fing ]

/ ˈlæf ɪŋ, ˈlɑ fɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR laughing ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

that laughs or is given to laughter: a laughing child.

uttering sounds like human laughter, as some birds.

suggesting laughter by brightness, color, sound, etc.: a laughing stream; laughing flowers.

laughable: The increase in crime is no laughing matter.

noun

laughter.

Nearby words

Origin of laughing

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at laugh, -ing¹, -ing²

Related formslaugh·ing·ly, adverbun·laugh·ing, adjective

Definition for laughing (2 of 2)

laugh

[ laf, lahf ]

/ læf, lɑf /

verb (used without object)

to express mirth, pleasure, derision, or nervousness with an audible, vocal expulsion of air from the lungs that can range from a loud burst of sound to a series of quiet chuckles and is usually accompanied by characteristic facial and bodily movements.

to experience the emotion so expressed: He laughed inwardly at the scene.

to produce a sound resembling human laughter: A coyote laughed in the dark.

verb (used with object)

to drive, put, bring, etc., by or with laughter (often followed by out, away, down, etc.): They laughed him out of town. We laughed away our troubles.

to utter with laughter: He laughed his consent.

noun

the act or sound of laughing; laughter.

an expression of mirth, derision, etc., by laughing.

Informal. something that provokes laughter, amusement, or ridicule: After all the advance publicity, the prizefight turned out to be a laugh.

laughs, Informal. fun; amusement.

Verb Phrases

laugh at,

to make fun of; deride; ridicule: They were laughing at him, not along with him.
to be scornful of; reject: They stopped laughing at the unusual theory when it was found to be predictive.
to find sympathetic amusement in; regard with humor: We can learn to laugh a little at even our most serious foibles.

laugh off, to dismiss as ridiculous, trivial, or hollow: He had received threats but laughed them off as the work of a crank.

Origin of laugh

before 900; Middle English laughen, Old English hlæh(h)an (Anglian); cognate with Dutch, German lachen, Old Norse hlǣja, Gothic hlahjan

SYNONYMS FOR laugh

1 chortle, cackle, cachinnate, guffaw, roar; giggle, snicker, snigger, titter.

6 Laugh, chuckle, grin, smile refer to methods of expressing mirth, appreciation of humor, etc. A laugh may be a sudden, voiceless exhalation, but is usually an audible sound, either soft or loud: a hearty laugh. Chuckle suggests a barely audible series of sounds expressing private amusement or satisfaction: a delighted chuckle. A smile is a (usually pleasant) lighting up of the face and an upward curving of the corners of the lips (which may or may not be open); it may express amusement or mere recognition, friendliness, etc.: a courteous smile. A grin, in which the teeth are usually visible, is like an exaggerated smile, less controlled in expressing the feelings: a friendly grin.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR laugh ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsout·laugh, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for laughing

The “smile through tears” had replaced the previous mindset that laughing was for the poor.
The French Court’s Royal Ban on Smiles|William O’Connor|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But nothing happens and soon Mariame is home, eating dinner with her two little sisters, laughing and acting silly.
‘Girlhood’: Coming of Age in France’s Projects|Molly Hannon|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lena, Emilia, and I are laughing because we sorted the wig thing out nice and early.
Natalie Dormer Talks ‘Hunger Games,’ Feminism, and Why ‘Game of Thrones’ Needs More Dick|Marlow Stern|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For French law enforcement, the evil clowns are, it has to be said, no laughing matter.
French Freak-Out Over Creepy Clowns|Tracy McNicoll|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Two years later, the writer did just that in front of a laughing Noah at the Bulls practice facility.
The Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah Sounds Off on Weed, the Weather, and Winning|Bill Schulz|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sound of merry voices and laughing came from within, and his first hesitating knock was unanswered.
Tom Brown's School Days|Thomas Hughes
It is very good of you; but I see from your face that you are laughing at me.
Laboulaye's Fairy Book|Various
He stopped speaking suddenly, for he saw that the woman was laughing at him.
Prince Vance|Eleanor Putnam
This is no laughing matter, dear, whispered Ruth, watching the curly-haired boy closely.
Ruth Fielding Down in Dixie|Alice B. Emerson
Mrs. March could hardly keep from laughing to see the children's impatience, though she felt nearly as impatient herself.
Nelly's Silver Mine|Helen Hunt Jackson

British Dictionary definitions for laughing

laugh

/ (lɑːf) /

verb

(intr) to express or manifest emotion, esp mirth or amusement, typically by expelling air from the lungs in short bursts to produce an inarticulate voiced noise, with the mouth open

(intr) (esp of certain mammals or birds) to make a noise resembling a laugh

(tr) to utter or express with laughterhe laughed his derision at the play

(tr) to bring or force (someone, esp oneself) into a certain condition by laughterhe laughed himself sick

(intr foll by at) to make fun (of); jeer (at)

(intr foll by over) to read or discuss something with laughter

don't make me laugh informal I don't believe you for a moment

laugh all the way to the bank informal to be unashamedly pleased at making a lot of money

laugh in a person's face to show open contempt or defiance towards a person

laugh like a drain informal to laugh loudly and coarsely

laugh up one's sleeve to laugh or have grounds for amusement, self-satisfaction, etc, secretly

laugh on the other side of one's face to show sudden disappointment or shame after appearing cheerful or confident

be laughing informal to be in a favourable situation

noun

the act or an instance of laughing

a manner of laughter

informal a person or thing that causes laughterthat holiday was a laugh

the last laugh the final success in an argument, situation, etc, after previous defeat

See also laugh away, laugh down, laugh off

Derived Formslaugher, nounlaughing, noun, adjectivelaughingly, adverb

Word Origin for laugh

Old English læhan, hliehhen; related to Gothic hlahjan, Dutch lachen

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for laughing (1 of 3)

laughing

mid-14c., verbal noun from laugh (v.). Laughing matter (usually with negative) is from 1560s. Nitrous oxide has been called laughing gas since 1842 (for its exhilarating effects). Davy, experimenting with the gas, discovered these as far back as 1779: "When I took the bag from my mouth, I immediately laughed. The laughter was involuntary, but highly pleasurable, accompanied by a thrill all through me."

Word Origin and History for laughing (1 of 3)

laugh

1680s, from laugh (v.). Meaning "a cause of laughter" is from 1895; ironic use (e.g. that's a laugh) attested from 1930. Laugh track "canned laughter on a TV program" is from 1961.

Word Origin and History for laughing (2 of 3)

laugh

late 14c., from Old English (Anglian) hlæhhan, earlier hlihhan, from Proto-Germanic *klakhjanan (cf. Old Norse hlæja, Danish le, Old Frisian hlakkia, Old Saxon hlahhian, Middle Dutch and Dutch lachen, Old High German hlahhan, German lachen, Gothic hlahjan), from PIE *kleg-, of imitative origin (cf. Latin cachinnare "to laugh aloud," Sanskrit kakhati "laughs," Old Church Slavonic chochotati "laugh," Lithuanian klageti "to cackle," Greek kakhazein). Originally with a "hard" -gh- sound, as in Scottish loch; the spelling remained after the pronunciation shifted to "-f."

If I coveted nowe to avenge the injuries that you have done me, I myght laughe in my slyve. [John Daus, "Sleidanes Commentaries," 1560]

Related: Laughed; laughing.

Idioms and Phrases with laughing

laugh

In addition to the idioms beginning with laugh

laugh all the way to the bank
laugh and the world laughs with you
laugh at
laughing matter
laugh off
laugh one's head off
laugh out of court
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
laugh up one's sleeve

also see:

canned laughter
die laughing
it's to laugh
last laugh
no joke (laughing matter)
shake with laughter

laughing

adjective

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of laughing

Definition for laughing (2 of 2)

laugh

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of laugh

Examples from the Web for laughing

British Dictionary definitions for laughing

laugh

verb

noun

Word Origin for laugh

Word Origin and History for laughing (1 of 3)

laughing

Word Origin and History for laughing (1 of 3)

laugh

Word Origin and History for laughing (2 of 3)

laugh

Idioms and Phrases with laughing

laugh