cough [coughcoughscoughedcoughing] verb, noun BrE [kɒf] NAmE [kɔːf] verb 1. intransitive to force out air suddenly and noisily through your throat, for example when you have a cold • I couldn't stop coughing. •to cough nervously/politely/discreetly 2. transitive ~ sth (up) to force sth out of your throat or lungs by coughing •Sometimes she coughed (up) blood. 3. intransitive (of an engine)to make a sudden unpleasant noise • The old engine coughed and spluttered into life. Verb forms:
Word Origin: Middle English: of imitative origin; related to Dutch kuchen ‘to cough’ and German keuchen ‘to pant’.
Example Bank: •He had a coughing fit and couldn't speak for a few moments. •He vomited and began coughing up blood. •The brandy made her cough and splutter. •The old engine coughed into life. •He coughed the dust out of his lungs. •He inhaled the smoke and started coughing and spluttering. •I couldn't stop coughing. •She coughed nervously and looked at me. •Sometimes she coughed up blood. Derived: ↑cough something up▪ ↑cough up
noun 1. an act or a sound of coughing • She gave a little cough to attract my attention. 2. an illness or infection that makes you cough often •to have a dry/persistent/hacking cough • My cold's better, but I can't seem to shake off this cough. see also ↑whooping cough
Word Origin: Middle English: of imitative origin; related to Dutch kuchen ‘to cough’ and German keuchen ‘to pant’.
Example Bank: •He had a smoker's cough and nicotine-yellowed fingers. •She struggled to stifle a cough. •The butler gave a little cough to announce his presence.
