oughint.n.
/ʊ(x)/, /ʊf/, /uːx/, /uːf/, U.S. /u(x)/, /uf/, /ʊ(x)/, /ʊf/ rare in later use.
A. int.
In early use: used in imitation of a sound denoting various sentiments, some also expressed by och, oh, ooh, etc. In later use spec. as an exclamation expressing disgust; = ugh int. and n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > hatred > dislike > disgust > exclamation of disgust [interjection]
foȝa1250
fie1297
faugh1542
ough1565
pah1592
pish1592
phah1593
paw1640
poh1650
sis1862
gick1905
ptui1930
stone (or stiffen) the crows1930
you wouldn't read about it1950
yeuch1964
barf1966
yuck1966
ick1967
yech1969
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Ahah, suspirantis..Ough hoe: in sighyng.
c1612 W. Strachey Hist. Trav. Virginia (1953) App. 196 Ough—yt is well.
1739 H. Baker & J. Miller Amphitryon i. ii. 37 Ough! hold! we've made a Truce as to Blows.
1786 A. M. Bennett Juvenile Indiscretions III. 197 Ough, he despised such Cattle [i.e. people].
1937 D. L. Sayers Busman's Honeymoon xvii. 284 I shal look under the bed tonight—Ough!
a1969 J. Kerouac Visions of Cody (1992) 276 Ough man, that's awful, that's green tea.
B. n.
An articulation of this sound. rare.In quot. 1900 representing the sound of heavy artillery.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Felidae (feline) > [interjection] > growl of tiger
ough1894
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [interjection] > of guns or shells
ough1894
rat-tat1907
whizz-bang1920
1894 Field 9 July 815/2 Followed by a deep and angry ‘ough!’ as a tiger broke cover.
1900 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Oct. 481/2 The ‘ough’ ‘ough’ of the field-guns breaks upon the ear.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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int.n.1565