Meaning of cough | Babel Free

Definitions

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. A sudden, often involuntary expulsion of air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound), and out through the mouth.
3. A bout of repeated coughing (verb etymology 1 sense 2.1); also, a medical condition that causes one to cough.
4. A noise or sound like a cough (etymology 2 sense 1).
   figuratively
5. To cause (oneself or something) to be in a certain condition in the manner described in etymology 1 sense 1.1
6. A vocalisation from a bird or other animal resembling a human cough.
7. To express (words, etc.) in the manner described in etymology 1 sense 1.1
8. To surrender (information); to confess. Chiefly followed by up: to give up or hand over (something); especially, to pay up (money)

Equivalents

Examples

“Behind me, I heard a distinct, dry cough.”

“[I]t conduceth helpe to the crudities, humidities, and vvindineſſe of the ſtomacke and belly, and to helpe the ſhortneſſe of breath and coughes: […]”

“The lumpiſh husband ſnoar'd avvay the night, / Till coughs avvak'd him near the morning light.”

“Dwining ventured to give a low cough once or twice, by way of signal; […]”

“One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.” He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis and another boy interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.”

“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.”

“whooping cough”

“Sorry, I can’t come to work today—I’ve got a nasty cough.”

“[John] Fal[staff]. VVhat diſeaſe haſt thou? / [Peter] Bul[lcaff]. A horſon cold ſir, a cough ſir, vvhich I cought vvith ringing in the Kings affaires vpon his coronation day ſir.”

“Cough! you don't need to tell me about a cough. I've always been subject to a cough, all my days. […] O! Eva's cough is not anything.”

CEFR level