laugh

[laf]

verb (used without object)

1. 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.

   Synonyms: titter, snigger, snicker, giggle, roar, guffaw, cachinnate, cackle, chortle

2. to experience the emotion so expressed.

   He laughed inwardly at the scene.

3. to produce a sound resembling human laughter.

   A coyote laughed in the dark.

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to utter with laughter.

   He laughed his consent.

noun

1. the act or sound of laughing; laughter.

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

3. Informal.,  something that provokes laughter, amusement, or ridicule.

   After all the advance publicity, the prizefight turned out to be a laugh.

4. Informal.,  laughs, fun; amusement.

verb phrase

1. laugh at

   1. to make fun of; deride; ridicule.

      They were laughing at him, not along with him.

   2. to be scornful of; reject.

      They stopped laughing at the unusual theory when it was found to be predictive.

   3. to find sympathetic amusement in; regard with humor.

      We can learn to laugh a little at even our most serious foibles.

2. laugh off,  to dismiss as ridiculous, trivial, or hollow.

   He had received threats but laughed them off as the work of a crank.

laugh

/ lɑːf /

verb

1. (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

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

3. (tr) to utter or express with laughter

   he laughed his derision at the play

4. (tr) to bring or force (someone, esp oneself) into a certain condition by laughter

   he laughed himself sick

5. to make fun (of); jeer (at)

6. to read or discuss something with laughter

7. informal,  I don't believe you for a moment

8. informal,  to be unashamedly pleased at making a lot of money

9. to show open contempt or defiance towards a person

10. informal,  to laugh loudly and coarsely

11. to laugh or have grounds for amusement, self-satisfaction, etc, secretly

12. to show sudden disappointment or shame after appearing cheerful or confident

13. informal,  to be in a favourable situation

noun

1. the act or an instance of laughing

2. a manner of laughter

3. informal,  a person or thing that causes laughter

   that holiday was a laugh

4. the final success in an argument, situation, etc, after previous defeat

Other Word Forms

• laughing noun
• laugher noun
• laughingly adverb
• outlaugh verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of laugh¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of laugh¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. have the last laugh, to prove ultimately successful after a seeming defeat or loss.

   She smiled slyly, because she knew she would yet have the last laugh on them.

2. laugh up one's sleeve. sleeve.

3. laugh it up, to laugh or joke in a hearty way.

   He was laughing it up with his friends.

4. laugh out of the other side of one's mouth, to undergo a chastening reversal, as of glee or satisfaction that is premature; be ultimately chagrined, punished, etc.; cry: Also laugh on the wrong side of one's mouthface.

   She's proud of her promotion, but she'll laugh out of the other side of her mouth when the work piles up.

5. laugh out of court, to dismiss or depreciate by means of ridicule; totally scorn.

   His violent protests were laughed out of court by the others.

More idioms and phrases containing laugh

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

"I take it. I laugh about it. At the time, I wasn't laughing because I was upset, but as you get older you get more relaxed."

From BBC

In a statement in tribute to Ms Cook, home deputy manager Judith Buenafe said she made the staff "laugh" and help them "grow professionally".

From BBC

In the background of the photo, there’s an image of Reagan, smiling with his head tilted back as if he’s having a good laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Let the record show, I know it’s not kind to laugh at another person’s misfortune.

From Salon

“Good things come to those who wait,” he says with a laugh.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chuckle 
• giggle 
• grin 
• howl 
• roar 
• scream 
• shriek 
• snicker 
• snort 
• whoop