laugh Definition
laugh (laf, läf)
intransitive verb
- to make the explosive sounds of the voice, and the characteristic movements of the features and body, that express mirth, amusement, ridicule, etc.
- to be amused
- to feel or suggest joyousness; appear bright and merry laughing eyes
Etymology: ME laughen < OE hleahhan, akin to Ger lachen (OHG hlahhan) < IE base *klēg-, to cry out, sound > Gr klangē, L clangor
transitive verb
- to express or say with laughter
- to bring about, effect, or cause to be by means of laughter to laugh oneself hoarse
noun
- the act or sound of laughing
- anything that provokes or is fit to provoke laughter
- Informal mere diversion or pleasure
laugh Related Forms
laugh Idioms
have the last laugh
to win after apparent defeat and discomfiture
laugh at
- to be amused by
- to make fun of; ridicule; deride
- to be indifferent to or contemptuous of; disregard
laugh away
to get rid of (something unpleasant or embarrassing) by laughter
laugh down
to silence or suppress by laughing
laugh up one's sleeve
to laugh secretly or inwardly
laugh off
to scorn, avoid, or reject by laughter or ridicule
laugh on the other side of one's face
or laugh out of the other side of one's face or laugh on the wrong side of one's face or laugh out of the wrong side of one's face or laugh on the other side of one's mouth or laugh out of the other side of one's mouth or laugh on the wrong side of one's mouth or laugh out of the wrong side of one's mouthto undergo a change in mood from joy to sorrow, from amusement to annoyance, etc.
no laughing matter
a serious matter
laugh Synonyms
laugh
n.
laugh is the general word for the sounds or exhalation made in expressing mirth, amusement, etc.; chuckle implies soft laughter in low tones, expressive of mild amusement or inward satisfaction; giggle and titter both refer to a laugh consisting of a series of rapid, high-pitched sounds, suggesting embarrassment, nervousness, or silliness, but giggle often implies an uncontrollabale fit of such laughter and titter implies a half-suppressed laugh, as a laugh of mild amusement suppressed in affected politeness; snicker is used of a sly, half-suppressed laugh, as at another's discomfiture or a bawdy story; guffaw refers to loud, coarse laughter
have the last laugh
no laughing matter
laugh Synonyms
laugh
v.
laugh out of court
laugh out the other side of one's mouth
laugh Usage Examples
Object
- dove: From the Hotel to Ovira park I noted 2 new species Laughing Dove and Garden Bulbul.
- alot: We all laughed alot and the map of the school we ended up with was quite strange.
- cry: Stories to make you laugh, cry and wonder.
- laughter: John laughed a hysterical laughter, and his teeth began to chant war songs in Russian.
Converse of object
- stifle: She looked at it and coughed, tho it could have been a stifled laugh.
- elicit: He told stories about his past as a historian, even eliciting a few laughs from members of the crowd.
- mock: A mocking laugh rang around the inside of my skull.
Preposition: at
joke: Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Adjective modifier
- infectious: John's infectious laugh made everyone feel that he was nothing more than a mate playing a few tunes for you.
- good-natured: At first, my host family was quite amused by me, and had some good-natured laughs on my behalf.
- hollow: I hide away and I hear a hollow laugh.
- nervous: Two young women left before the end and during the rest of the film there were what I took to be occasional nervous laughs.
Adjective complement
loud: Some examples include: LOL: Which stands for " laugh out loud " .
Noun used with modifier
- belly: Book your seats and be prepared for belly laughs!
- Everyone: Everyone laughs and they get up and do it again.
Used with why or when
when: He stole the wine and did not own up and laughed when Jenny and Mikey fight about it.
Particle object:
rumor: The smitten couple, who recently laughed off wedding rumors, were reported to have split last year.
Followed by an intransitive particle
along: I can only assume Ms Root was laughing along.
Preposition: like
Browse dictionary entries near laugh
- ‹ laudatory
- ‹ laudation
- ‹ laudanum
- ‹ laudable
- ‹ laud
- ‹ Latvian
- ‹ Latvia
- ‹ Latv
- ‹ Lattimore
- ‹ latticinio
- laugh at ›
- laugh off ›
- laugh track ›
- laughable ›
- laugher ›
- laughing ›
- laughing gas ›
- laughing jackass ›
- laughingstock ›
- laughter ›

