Cough

/kɒf/ · verb

Meaning

Sometimes followed by up: to force (something) out of the lungs or throat by pushing air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound), and out through the mouth..

Definitions by Sense

1. Sometimes followed by up: to force (something) out of the lungs or throat by pushing air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound), and out through the mouth.
2. To cause (oneself or something) to be in a certain condition in the manner described in etymology 1 sense 1.1.
3. To express (words, etc.) in the manner described in etymology 1 sense 1.1.
4. To surrender (information); to confess.
5. Chiefly followed by up: to give up or hand over (something); especially, to pay up (money).
6. To push air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound) and out through the mouth, usually to expel something blocking or irritating the airway.
7. To make a noise like a cough.
8. To surrender information; to confess, to spill the beans.

Example Sentences

Sometimes she coughed up blood.

Jeeves coughed one soft, low, gentle cough like a sheep with a blade of grass stuck in its throat, and then stood gazing serenely at the landscape.

He almost coughed himself into a fit.

No ſtationary ſteeds / Cough their ovvn knell, vvhile heedleſs of the ſound / The ſilent circle fan themſelves, and quake.

By the time you get back the men will all be striking out for the fire, and we'll break for the house and collar the dollars. Everybody cough up what matches he's got.

Thanks to Jeeves I was not going to be called on to cough up several thousand quid.

"Parsloe, will you or will you not cough up that pig?" / "I have not got your pig."

I breathed in a lungful of smoke by mistake, and started to cough.

Synonyms for cough

Antonyms for cough

Related Words

Word Forms

• coughs
• coughing
• coughed
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• cough
• coughest
• coughedst
• cougheth
• -

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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