cough

Formscoughs, coughing, coughed

Pluralcoughs

1. 1
   verbintransitive

   To force air out of your lungs with a sudden, noisy burst, often to clear your throat.

   Like clearing a blocked pipe with a quick puff of air.

   I cough whenever I breathe in cold air.

   She kept coughing all through the night.

   Similarhack, splutter

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable

   A sudden, noisy burst of air pushed out from your lungs, often without meaning to.

   Like a quick puff that escapes before you can stop it.

   She let out a loud cough during the quiet movie.

   A tickle in my throat made me give a small cough.

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   A spell of coughing again and again, or an illness that makes you cough.

   Like an engine that keeps sputtering instead of running smoothly.

   He has had a nasty cough since the start of winter.

   Several children were sent home with a cough during the outbreak.

   Note
4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To force something out of your throat or lungs with a sudden, noisy burst of air.

   Like blowing a crumb out of a straw with one hard puff.

   Try to cough up the mucus instead of swallowing it.

   She coughed up a small piece of bone.

   Note
5. 5
   verbslangfigurativelytransitive

   To hand over money or something else, often when you don't want to.

   Like finally paying back a friend after putting it off for weeks.

   He finally coughed up the cash he owed me.

   You'll have to cough up the entry fee at the door.

   Similarpay

   Note
6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To say words in a rough, broken way, as if while coughing.

   Like forcing out words while you're choking on a drink.

   He coughed out a quick apology and hurried away.

   She could barely cough out the words between gasps.

   Similarcroak, gasp, splutter, rasp

   Note
7. 7
   verbintransitive

   To make a short, rough sound that is like a cough.

   Like an engine that splutters instead of starting cleanly.

   Engines often cough before they catch and run smoothly.

   The old car coughed twice and then died.

   Similarsputter, splutter, choke

   Note
8. 8
   nounfigurativelycountable

   A sound that is like a cough, such as a noise made by a machine.

   Like the splutter a car makes when it won't start.

   The engine gave a strange cough before it stalled.

   We heard a sharp cough from the old generator.

   Similarsputter, splutter

9. 9
   interjection

   Used in writing to show a fake cough, often to hint at something without saying it directly.

   Like clearing your throat on purpose to make someone notice what you really mean.

   He's the best player here, cough, or so he keeps telling everyone.

   She said she was, cough, too busy to help with the dishes.

   Similarahem

   Note
10. 10
    nouncountable

    A sound made by a bird or animal that is like a human cough.

    Like the rough bark a startled deer makes in the woods.

    The deer gave a sharp cough to warn the herd of danger.

    We heard a low cough from the lion's enclosure.

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