• Laugh

    Pronunciation

    • Australia IPA: /laːf/
    • UK IPA: /lɑːf/
    • US enPR: lăf, IPA: /læf/
    • Rhymes: -ɑːf
    • Rhymes: -æf

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Middle English laughen, laghen, from Old English hlehhan, hlæhan, hlihhan,

    |lang=ang}, from Proto-Germanic *hlahjaną ("to laugh"), from Proto-Indo-European *klek-, *kleg- ("to shout"). Cognate with Scots lauch ("to laugh"), West Frisian laitsje ("to laugh"), Dutch lachen ("to laugh, smile"), German lachen ("to laugh"), Danish le ("to laugh"), Icelandic hlæja ("to laugh"), Albanian qesh ("to laugh") < arc. klêsh, Latin glōcīre ("to cluck"), Latin glattīre ("to yelp"), Latin gliccīre ("to gaggle"), Welsh cloch ("bell"), Ancient Greek κλώσσω (klṓssô, "to cluck"), Old Church Slavonic клєкотъ (klekotŭ, "laughter, noise"), Latin clangō ("scream, sound"). Related to clang.

    Full definition of laugh

    Noun

    laugh

    (plural laughs)
    1. An expression of mirth particular to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter.
      Why would you laugh about that when it's not even funny? You have a twisted sense of humour.
      • 1803, Oliver Goldsmith, The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B.: With an Account of His Life, page 45:And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
      • 1869, F. W. Robertson, Lectures and Addresses on Literary and Social Topics, page 87:That man is a bad man who has not within him the power of a hearty laugh.
    2. Something that provokes mirth or scorn.
      • 1921, Ring Lardner, The Big Town: How I and the Mrs. Go to New York to See Life and Get Katie a Husband, The Bobbs-Merrill Company, page 73:“And this rug,” he says, stomping on an old rag carpet. “How much do you suppose that cost?” ¶ It was my first guess, so I said fifty dollars. ¶ “That’s a laugh,” he said. “I paid two thousand for that rug.”
      • 1979, Monty Python, Always Look on the Bright Side of LifeLife's a piece of shit
        When you look at it
        Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
    3. (UK) A fun person.
      • 2010, The Times, March 14, 2010, Tamzin Outhwaite, the unlikely musical starOuthwaite is a good laugh, yes, she knows how to smile: but deep down, she really is strong and stern.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

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    Verb

    1. (intransitive) To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge in laughter.
      • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act I, scene ii:But there was such laughing! Queen Hecuba laugh'd that her eyes ran o'er.
      • 1899, Stephen Crane, The roars of laughter which greeted his proclamation were of two qualities; some men laughing because they knew all about cuckoo-clocks, and other men laughing because they had concluded that the eccentric Jake had been victimised by some wise child of civilisation.
      • 1979, Monty Python, Always Look on the Bright Side of LifeIf life seems jolly rotten
        There's something you've forgotten
        And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
    2. (intransitive, obsolete, figuratively) To be or appear cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
      • 1693, John Dryden, "Of the Pythagorean Philosophy", from the 15th book of Ovid's MetamorphosesThen laughs the childish year, with flowerets crowned...
      • 1734, Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man, Chapter 3In Folly’s cup Å¿till laughs the bubble Joy.
    3. (intransitive, followed by "at") To make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of; to deride; to mock.
      • 1731-1735, Alexander Pope, Moral EssaysNo wit to flatter left of all his store, No fool to laugh at, which he valu'd more.
      • 1890, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 3There was something about him, Harry, that amused me. He was such a monster. You will laugh at me, I know, but I really went in and paid a whole guinea for the stage-box. To the present day I can't make out why I did so; and yet if I hadn't! – my dear Harry, if I hadn't, I would have missed the greatest romance of my life. I see you are laughing. It is horrid of you!"
      • 1967, The Beatles, Penny LaneOn the corner is a banker with a motorcar
        The little children laugh at him behind his back
    4. (transitive) To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
    5. (transitive) To express by, or utter with, laughter.
      • 1602, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act I, scene iii:From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause.
      • 1866, Louisa May Alcott, Behind A Mask or, A Woman's Power; Chapter 8Fairfax addressed her as "my lady," she laughed her musical laugh, and glanced up at a picture of Gerald with eyes full of exultation.
      • 1906, Jack London, Moon-Face"You refuse to take me seriously," Lute said, when she had laughed her appreciation. "How can I take that Planchette rigmarole seriously?"

    Usage notes

    The simple past tense forms laught, laugh'd and low and the past participles laught, laugh'd and laughen also exist, but are obsolete.

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

    • (show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face) cry, weep

    Coordinate terms

    • (show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face) cry

    Derived terms

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    Related terms

    Anagrams

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