cough

[kawf, kof] /kɔf, kɒf/
verb (used without object)
1.
to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh noise, often involuntarily.
2.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to make a similar noise as a result of the failure of one or more cylinders to fire in sequence.
3.
to make a similar sound, as a machine gun firing in spurts.
verb (used with object)
4.
to expel by coughing (usually followed by up or out):
to cough up phlegm.
noun
5.
the act or sound of coughing.
6.
an illness characterized by frequent coughing.
7.
a sound similar to a cough, a machine gun, or an engine firing improperly.
Verb phrases
8.
cough up, Slang.
  1. to relinquish, especially reluctantly; contribute; give.
  2. to blurt out; state, as by way of making a confession:
    After several hours of vigorous questioning by the police, he finally coughed up the information.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English coghen, apparently < Old English *cohhian (compare its derivative cohhettan to cough); akin to Dutch kuchen to cough, German keuchen to wheeze
Related forms
cougher, noun
Can be confused
cough, cuff, koph.
Examples from the web for cough
  • cough suppressants may help if this condition is due to throat irritation from violent coughing.
  • Typically, the bug causes mild pneumonia, a persistent cough and a low-grade fever.
  • Some believe the spirits of the deceased have caused a spate of illnesses here, including my own lingering cough.
  • When you have the flu, you cough a lot, which can help transmit the virus to other people.
  • The mead was refreshing in the way a honey-menthol cough drop can be, but much lighter and not as sweet.
  • In the medical literature, it is known as the cough trick.
  • If you can get the students to cough up a copy of the previous exams, try to build a final from that.
  • If you've never been brave enough to cough up the cash for the expensive gear, it's time you have.
  • Adults who want a more palatable remedy against cough and sore throat can try mixing warm water with lemon and honey.
  • Many still envision them as loners toiling in their garrets, perhaps with a nasty cough.
British Dictionary definitions for cough

cough

/kɒf/
verb
1.
(intransitive) to expel air or solid matter from the lungs abruptly and explosively through the partially closed vocal chords
2.
(intransitive) to make a sound similar to this
3.
(transitive) to utter or express with a cough or coughs
4.
(intransitive) (slang) to confess to a crime
noun
5.
an act, instance, or sound of coughing
6.
a condition of the lungs or throat that causes frequent coughing
Derived Forms
cougher, noun
Word Origin
Old English cohhetten; related to Middle Dutch kochen, Middle High German kūchen to wheeze; probably of imitative origin
Word Origin and History for cough
v.

early 14c., coughen, probably in Old English, but not recorded, from Proto-Germanic *kokh- (with the rough "kh" of German or of Scottish loch; cf. Middle Dutch kochen, Middle High German kuchen). Onomatopoeic. Related: Coughed; coughing. As a noun from c.1300.

cough in Medicine

cough (kôf)
v. coughed, cough·ing, coughs
To expel air from the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to keep the respiratory passages free of irritating material. n.

  1. The act of coughing.

  2. An illness marked by frequent coughing.

cough in Science
cough
  (kôf, kŏf)   
The act of expelling air from the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to keep the respiratory passages free of irritating material.
Encyclopedia Article for cough

an expulsive reflex initiated when the respiratory tract is irritated by infection, noxious fumes, dust, or other types of foreign bodies. The reflex results in a sudden expulsion of air from the lungs that carries with it excessive secretions or foreign material from the respiratory tract. Cough is beneficial; pneumonia frequently results when an effective cough reflex is lost as a result of chest injury, disease, or oversedation. Repeated and severe coughing, however, is physically exhausting and interferes with rest. Under these circumstances drugs may be used to suppress the reflex.

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