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Definition of laugh in English: laughverb lɑːflæf [no object]1Make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expressions of lively amusement and sometimes also of derision. he rarely smiled or laughed she couldn't help laughing at his jokes Example sentencesExamples - Amy laughed hysterically at her joke and placed the items on the conveyer belt.
- He almost laughed out loud at how clumsy he had been at that age.
- Rarely, he remarked afterwards, had an audience laughed so heartily at his jokes.
- Matt almost laughed aloud in spite of himself.
- With the tension broken, both men laughed heartily at the thought.
- Your excitement was infectious as you laughed and gasped as we were whirled and twisted.
- The script had jokes in it, you could tell, but no one laughed because of the timing.
- I told her she had already sent one and she laughed and said her memory was going.
- The audience laughed lightly at the absurdity of this.
- Will laughed quietly and I looked up to see him nodding, looking at me softly with a smile.
- She laughed until the tears attempted to roll up her appley cheeks and she had to beg for mercy.
- Kate laughed as she looked at him, wondering just what was going through his mind.
- They really laughed and asked some good questions and most of them bought a book.
- She told me herself and I laughed until my eyes leaked tears and my nose leaked snot.
- He then laughed in a way that sane people do not laugh and asked for ten male volunteers.
- He liked the way sometimes a little crease wrinkled the side of her nose when she laughed.
- We laughed, we flirted and we agreed to continue having the great talks we have together.
- As we waited to go out again, we sat in a circle, laughed and ate hot cross buns.
- I laughed all the way through and in the end I left the cinema grinning from ear to ear.
- All the kids around the playground laughed hysterically at this pathetic joke.
Synonyms guffaw, chuckle, chortle, cackle, howl, roar, ha-ha, fall about, roar/hoot with laughter, shake with laughter, be convulsed with laughter, dissolve into laughter, split one's sides, be doubled up informal be in stitches, die laughing, be rolling in the aisles, laugh like a drain, bust a gut, break up, be creased up, crease up, crack up ridicule, mock, deride, scoff at, jeer at, sneer at, jibe at, make fun of, poke fun at, make jokes about, heap scorn on, scorn, pooh-pooh lampoon, satirize, caricature, parody taunt, tease, torment informal send up, take the mickey out of Australian/New Zealand informal poke mullock at British vulgar slang take the piss out of dated make sport of - 1.1laugh at Treat with ridicule or scorn.
many people only laughed at these stories Example sentencesExamples - The plain card laughs at you, symbolically suggesting that it's a fleeting moment of happiness.
- We must not permit the criminals to mock us and to laugh at us when they take advantage of us.
- I am aided along this expressway to embarrassment by Alec, who either makes things worse or laughs at me.
- The only problem is that I have to walk with my legs apart and I look like an idiot that way and everyone looks at me and laughs at me.
- Now everyone within a ten mile radius laughs at you in the street.
- All posts will be treated in the strictest confidence and nobody will laugh at anybody.
- I will think of her laughing at the ridiculousness of what we're both doing.
- The other driver took my details and he must have been laughing at me as I pulled away - the car was a wreck.
- To say that I have found motherhood fulfilling and rewarding is sneered and laughed at.
- My husband laughs at me because I put our children's clothes on the radiator to warm in winter but it is a habit I picked up from my mother.
- If your guidance counselor laughs at you because of what your hope for a career is, ignore them.
- They showed no respect for the fact he is going through a hard time and instead tried to have a cheap laugh at him.
- It was a local story that inspired the poem about a drunken farmer who laughs at the devil and only just escapes.
- 1.2laugh something off Dismiss something by treating it in a light-hearted way.
he laughed off suggestions that the company was in trouble Example sentencesExamples - Probably thinking I hadn't caught the exchange, he shook his head, laughed it off, ‘Never mind.’
- Avoiding, dismissing or laughing them off on a consistent basis means that many important issues go unresolved.
- When I was a child, if I told my parents I thought they were wrong about whatever they would just shrug and laugh it off, maybe correcting my grammar along the way.
- Apologize in a lighthearted way, and laugh it off by turning it into a joke.
- She tried to laugh it off dismissively, but her words seemed to pique his interest.
- He never seems to notice, he shrugs, laughs it off, but she smiles at these women, at every one, she smiles into their eyes.
- Don't rise to their teasing; try and laugh it off or just plain ignore them!
- Ordinarily, Alexander's slip in the radio studio would be laughed off as a joke.
- I've tried talking to my parents but they just seem to laugh it off and ignore me saying that I'll feel better tomorrow.
- Mention this to the star and he simply laughs it off.
Synonyms dismiss, make a joke of, make light of, refuse to acknowledge, overlook, turn a blind eye to, discount, ignore, disregard, shrug off, brush aside, scoff at, pooh-pooh, take no notice of, pay no attention to, play down, never mind informal cock a snook at - 1.3be laughinginformal Be in a fortunate or successful position.
if next year's model is as successful, Ford will be laughing
noun lɑːflæf 1An act of laughing. she gave a loud, silly laugh Example sentencesExamples - She laughed a tinkling little laugh, and I wondered if she even knew about Becca.
- Max barely stifled an explosive laugh of relief.
- I gave a mirthless laugh at her joke and continued my search.
- A laugh came to her eyes, like she was remembering some funny memory.
- A nervous little laugh escaped her, to her chagrin.
- Her laugh sounded forced and nervous sometimes, but you could tell the difference.
- But his plan became clear as she started bursting out with guffaws and laughs and giggles when he tickled her.
- Make your own mind up and laugh along the way.
- It was a real laugh, a ha-ha laugh, unlike the fit of hysterics he'd had earlier.
- He had the same lopsided grin he sported to make people laugh at his antics.
- Michael's weak attempt to stifle a laugh was futile.
- She gave a nervous little laugh, unable to hold his gaze any longer.
- I have not heard an audience laugh so hard and so long in a movie theater in a long time.
- Trying to make the audience laugh is perhaps not much more difficult than trying to explain why it laughs.
- The man's laugh echoed against the metal walls as he left the hanger.
- But the laugh sounded false, and she didn't think it was very funny.
- He looked back at his friend over his shoulder and laughed a short, hearty laugh.
- All he knew was that that laugh sounded like nothing he had ever heard before.
- He let out a loud, hearty laugh.
- Matt laughed so hard that he snorted and it only made us laugh harder.
Synonyms chuckle, chortle, guffaw, giggle, titter, ha-ha, tee-hee, snigger, roar of laughter, hoot of laughter, shriek of laughter, peal of laughter, belly laugh 2a laughinformal Something that causes laughter; a source of fun, amusement, or derision. come along, it'll be a laugh she decided to play along with him for a laugh that's a laugh, the idea of you cooking a meal! Example sentencesExamples - The head doorman is a bit of joker and you can have a laugh with him but it's not advisable to upset him too much.
- We're not as good as some of the other teams, but we have a good laugh.
- And there are plenty of laughs along the way to make up for it.
- Kate's the funny, bubbly one in the group, so wherever they go they always have a laugh.
- I get dressed up and go to work at a pub or a club; I see colleagues and have a laugh.
- It was good to talk about it, have a laugh and clear the air.
- Fun, light spirited and cute, you like to have a laugh, but never take a lot of things seriously.
- And nothing cures a cold as efficiently as a good laugh.
- For audiences, the point of comedy is to have a laugh.
- He showed his sense of humour and gave the public plenty of laughs along the way.
- And now for a good laugh: Andie passes along this gem from the Onion.
- It was good to see the crowd stop taking themselves so seriously and have a laugh for once!
- After dinner, people swap stories, play music, have a laugh.
- Who am I to complain about them, they just wanted a good laugh, and I was glad I provided some entertainment on the last lazy, unproductive Friday.
- He loved to have a laugh, a bit of fun and to have a drink.
- Time to actually talk to patients, make a fuss of the kids and have a laugh.
- And if not, well, at least we can all share a good laugh about it.
- What I miss is being able to relax, see my mates, go for a beer and have a laugh.
- I have to confess that I always get a good belly laugh out of such nonsense.
- Sometimes, especially when going to bed, it was good just to have a laugh, and forget about the worries of the day.
Synonyms joke, prank, piece of fun, jest, escapade, adventure, caper, romp, practical joke, trick, bit of mischief shenanigans, horseplay informal lark, giggle, hoot - 2.1 A person who is good fun or amusing company.
I like Peter—he's a good laugh Example sentencesExamples - If he was a bumbling character in a tv comedy he'd be a good laugh.
- I would just like to say what a lovely person Jess is - she really is - and she is a right laugh and can always make people smile when they need to smile.
- Amanda is a good mate, I haven't seen her much but I know she is a laugh and a great mate, and she is a good mate to Sam as well.
- She is a good person and a good laugh, and yet she constantly lies.
- She is a right laugh, imaginative, passionate and most definitely not a worrying stress-head.
- I got on especially well with Colin, who was friendly and a good laugh.
- While in NYC check this bar out, the women are gorgeous and friendly too, and the bar staff are a good laugh.
- Despite that, you're a good laugh and fun to be around.
- After I got back, I noticed that my friends from Longsight were there, so we went to join them, which was a good decision because Alan, Paul and Colin are a good laugh.
- She looks great without trying too hard, spends her money on fine wine, is a good laugh but likes to read in her spare time and works in a caring profession.
Synonyms joker, comedian, comic, comedienne, humorist, wag, wit, entertainer, clown, funny man, funny woman, jester, prankster, character informal card, case, caution, hoot, scream, riot, barrel of laughs Australian/New Zealand informal hard case
Phrases informal Be achieving something with ease. with the right tips and tricks, you'll be away laughing Example sentencesExamples - I was away laughing really, because two of the literature questions were about kid's books!
- Once this is overcome you're away laughing.
- I downloaded my own personal server; I gave the IP number to Walker and we were away laughing.
- They just needed a little bit of motivation, a bit of that experience, and they've been away laughing.
- A good greasy feed and bit of ice cream in the morning and I'm away laughing!
laugh all the way to the bank informal Make a great deal of money very easily. investors in South Wales Electricity were laughing all the way to the bank Example sentencesExamples - Because I think it is important for us to know who is laughing and who is ridiculing the pain and suffering of so many and, most importantly, laughing all the way to the bank.
- And it looks like the show's top advertisers are laughing all the way to the bank.
- For themselves, they're grabbing as much as they can, as fast as they can, any way that they can, and laughing all the way to the bank.
- The real criminals will be laughing all the way to the bank.
- Meanwhile, the people who will benefit - the rich - will be laughing all the way to the bank…
- And, if tourists come as thick and fast as those visiting cards, Kerala tourism industry will be laughing all the way to the bank.
- At the moment, the big promoters are laughing all the way to the bank as they pay the same flat registration fee, irrespective of the prices they charge and how many tickets they sell.
- Because those of us outside the industry aren't the ones making the money hand over fist and laughing all the way to the bank with the existing system.
- Whoever came up with the idea of creating special occasions, such as Father's Day, must be laughing all the way to the bank.
- The Aussies might be crying into their beer over the recent loss of the Ashes to the English cricketers, but they are laughing all the way to the bank with their British investments.
Be finally vindicated, thus confounding earlier scepticism. the success of his novel meant he had the last laugh on the Irish literati Example sentencesExamples - According to government statistics, 70 people are killed and 250,000 are injured doing DIY each year - so you'll be the one having the last laugh when he's wheeled off to casualty.
- It's also an old master having the last laugh on a movie project that seemed destined to fail.
- For years his proudest boast has been that while others have criticised his growth forecasts, he has ended up having the last laugh.
- You have to laugh but she'll have the last laugh when she gets offered all the plum roles as a female pirate.
- So, with 300 films in five languages to his credit, is he having the last laugh on those who rejected his face as being ‘crude and harsh’?
- Well all I can say is that in a month we'll see who will be having the last laugh.
- Then he wrote a best-selling book which sounded very much like having the last laugh at his investors' expense.
- The problem is that the players are invariably selling themselves short and it is the marketing executives that are having the last laugh.
- I don't know who is having the last laugh on this one.
- ‘I couldn't believe I had scored a goal like that and I couldn't stop laughing but I suppose Rangers had the last laugh,’ he said afterwards.
he who laughs last laughs longest proverb Don't rejoice too soon, in case your delight at your own good fortune is premature. Example sentencesExamples - ‘One thing I am clear about, though, is that he who laughs last, laughs longest,’ he said.
- Just remember, he who laughs last, laughs longest.
- Keep on laughing, but remember the old adage, ‘he who laughs last, laughs longest’.
Laugh heartily or uncontrollably. the audience laughed its head off all the way through the show Example sentencesExamples - He laughed his head off; and sure enough thought it was soo funny that he called anybody to let them know.
- All I can say about that one is that I am laughing my head off!
Show open contempt for someone by laughing rudely at them in their presence. I remonstrated with him but he just laughed in my face figurative vandals and muggers who laugh in the face of the law Example sentencesExamples - If, ten years ago, someone had said that I'd be writing sentences that like I would have laughed in their face in a cynically and postmodernly way, in keeping with my cool, confident image.
- At one audition, the casting director laughed in her face.
- When he excitedly told me about his new job three weeks ago - earning £12k less than me - I didn't laugh in his face and wave my payslip in his face.
- And this time, instead of having the feeling of one person looking at you, it seemed like the whole world was staring and laughing in my face.
- The bishop has moral authority over his priests, but if one of them laughs in his face, that moral authority is useless.
- If you'd walked up to me over a year ago and said I will be going to the gym twice a week within a few months, I would have laughed in your face.
- I swear fate or something like it was laughing in my face.
- This is right by the place where justice is supposed to be served and yet they're laughing in its face.
- Rose was so furious that this man had the nerve to steal her away from her friends and family, stuff her in a crate, only to open it a while later and laugh in her face.
- If anyone had told me in 2002 that I'd be sat at this computer writing about how I had overcome crippling self-doubt, anxiety, and low self-esteem I would have laughed in their face.
the laugh is on me (or you, him, etc.) The tables are turned and now the other person is the one who appears ridiculous. all the critics had laughed at him—well, the laugh was on them now Example sentencesExamples - But this person paid in the long run now the laugh is on him.
- I sincerely hope the laugh is on him this time, permanently, but he has shown an uncanny ability to worm his way out of trouble and I'm afraid he'll do it again.
- My own marriage give me lots of material for my cartoons, but, unfortunately, my wife is so great that most of the time, the laugh is on me.
- Actually, the laugh is on me, because when I first read the question, I thought it was meant to be a political debate…
informal Laugh raucously. when I told her I fancied her, she laughed like a drain Example sentencesExamples - It will, however, almost certainly make you laugh like a drain several times.
- It's so obvious and not even that original but somehow the joke had never occurred to me and I laughed like a drain.
- It'd make me laugh like a drain if I won, which probably isn't a very good recommendation.
- Had I been there I would have laughed like a drain.
- If such infantile hyperbole doesn't have you laughing like a drain, you haven't a hope of wading through this somewhat too hefty book.
- My beloved is going to laugh like a drain when he reads that.
- A friend of mine in her 50s who was active in the women's movement through the 70s laughed like a drain when I told her that.
- I'm laughing like a drain even before he's delivered the punchlines.
- Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit but these had me and The Doctor laughing like a drain in bed last night.
- He thought this was a very funny and laughed like a drain.
Synonyms chuckle, chortle, guffaw, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, cackle, howl, roar, tee-hee, burst out laughing, hoot with laughter, roar with laughter, shake with laughter, be convulsed with laughter, dissolve into laughter, split one's sides, hold one's sides, be doubled up
it's a laugh a minute when Lois gets together with her dad Example sentencesExamples - ‘He is a laugh a minute and we are both practical jokers so we got on immediately,’ she said.
- Last week's meeting was literally a laugh a minute, with a great turnout once more of both members and guests.
- Behind its heavy door and a dark glass wall, the formal dining room isn't exactly a laugh a minute.
- Well, that wasn't exactly a laugh a minute was it?
- This will be the group's 15th production and all who come along are guaranteed value for money and a laugh a minute into the bargain.
- The stills from the CD cover alone seem to guarantee a laugh a minute / Halloween costume inspiration entertainment fandango.
- I think the decision to throw Ricky and me together throughout the series was a fantastic idea and it has been a laugh a minute.
- We've been over to Grandma's today, her memory is on the wane a little these days, bless her, but she really is a laugh a minute and we never have a dull time when we visit.
- This movie is cleverly made with a laugh a minute.
- A veteran of 30 or so such performances, Michael, 37, is guaranteeing a laugh a minute for the diners at the pub/brewery.
- The pantomime is a laugh a minute with curly wigs, outrageous costumes, banter and confusion the order of the day.
Synonyms hilarious, uproarious, very funny, very amusing, comical, comic, farcical
laugh on the other side of one's face Be discomfited after feeling satisfaction or confidence about something. Example sentencesExamples - And then laughed on the other side of his face when my answer turned out to be correct, ahem.
- The right honourable gentleman opposite is a very naughty man, and he will laugh on the other side of his face when my ship comes in.
- Mind you, I bet he'll be laughing on the other side of his face when he sees how much I've got.
- I was laughing on the other side of my face when they suggested that I do a guest editing spot - that'll teach me!
- I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face.
- She will laugh on the other side of her face in 2 years' time.
- Their laughter was uproarious, but I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face.
- Give him a health problem that stopped him from getting all that exercise through no fault of his own and he'd be laughing on the other side of his face.
laugh someone/something out of court Dismiss with contempt as being obviously ridiculous. an application for a course in ‘paintball combat’ was laughed out of court Example sentencesExamples - Anyone who tried to put it into an election manifesto would be laughed out of court.
- He said if he took it to court, given the circumstances, he would be laughed out of court and would have a hard time even finding anyone to take the case.
- It's not too far-fetched to say the paper was laughed out of court.
- ‘It's 23 years since I came to this council with this suggestion, but it was laughed out of court,’ he said.
- I suspect that they dare not make the threat plainly because they know they would be laughed out of court.
- However, if any one of these players had claimed that they were entitled to aim sectarian abuse at opposition fans or spit on the scarf of an opposition fan, they would be laughed out of court.
- ‘Whenever there has been public scrutiny, their evidence has been laughed out of court,’ he says.
- The ‘scholarship’ used to promote the idea would be laughed out of court if applied to any other ancient book.
- If a burglar who meticulously planned and executed a bank robbery tried to argue that he was not responsible because of damage to his prefrontal cortex, he would be laughed out of court.
- Back in May 2002, this proposal was laughed out of court.
Synonyms deride, be contemptuous about, hold in contempt, treat with contempt, heap scorn on, pour scorn on, be scornful about, look down on, look down one's nose at, disdain, curl one's lip at, mock, scoff at, sneer at, sniff at, jeer at, laugh at, laugh out of court
laugh oneself silly (or sick) Laugh uncontrollably or for a long time. the audience was laughing themselves silly Example sentencesExamples - The author's name has caused untold hilarity among Britain's schoolboy humour forum, and I've laughed myself silly.
- When my vision finally cleared enough to get a good look at the culprit, I focused in on the store manager who was laughing herself silly.
- I wouldn't say the crowd laughed themselves sick, but I was regretting not bringing the video camera for Kirsty's home videos.
- By now he was laughing himself silly on the other end.
- Needless to say, we spent the afternoon laughing ourselves silly.
- He seemed to be laughing himself silly at some of the jokes at his expense, but it may be that he's a good enough actor to fake enjoyment.
- All three nearly passed out as they laughed themselves sick.
- Jon and I have been watching this show every week with splendid abandon, laughing ourselves silly at a safe distance.
- I can just imagine them laughing themselves sick as they made the burger.
- I laughed myself silly over her comparison of children to terrorists, and her tales of her domineering, movie star mother.
dated Ridicule something. she laughed their gossip to scorn Example sentencesExamples - Their stupid opinion is just as valid as the millions of people who laugh this assertion to scorn.
- He seems always to be using the same terms for the same things; so that anyone inexpert and thoughtless might laugh his speeches to scorn.
- Every paid-up Postmodernist knows how to laugh this doctrine to scorn; it is just that most of them disastrously throw out Orwell's politics of lucidity along with it.
- He told me that they had all laughed the comment to scorn, but that now he had been somewhere with no decent plumbing he had to conclude that it was the simple truth.
Synonyms mock, make fun of, laugh at, make jokes about, ridicule, jeer at, sneer at, deride, treat with contempt, treat contemptuously, scorn, laugh to scorn, scoff at, pillory, be sarcastic about, satirize, lampoon, burlesque, parody, tease, taunt, rag, make a monkey of, chaff, jibe at
Be secretly or inwardly amused. he must have been laughing up at his sleeve all the time I was interviewing him Example sentencesExamples - And I am afraid I also must laugh up my sleeve at this poor reader.
- Deep down, we suspect those we grant our patronage to are secretly laughing up their sleeves at us even as we enrich them.
- The woman at the kiosk, who in hindsight clearly didn't give a damn about the cinema ratings system let him through and must have been laughing up her sleeve at us.
- You were laughing up your sleeve at me and all the other kids who you were putting through this Hell.
- Some of my pals are starting to wonder if Mother Nature has been laughing up her sleeve at them all this time.
- In any case, the counterrevolution will be a long one, affording us many, many opportunities to be outraged while laughing up our sleeves at the spectacle.
- His attack must have had the devil laughing up his sleeve.
- Little did I know at the time how my manager and new co-workers were laughing up their sleeves.
Something serious that should not be joked about. heavy snoring is no laughing matter Example sentencesExamples - However the problem of alcohol abuse in Scotland is no laughing matter as it is a major health and social problem that should be addressed seriously.
- The troops like to joke that every chapatti they eat costs 40 rupees but winter life on the heights is no laughing matter.
- However, I must say that, you know, I always laugh with him, but his policies are no laughing matter.
- Well-timed equipment fires may be a standing industry joke, but the reality is no laughing matter.
- It all began as a joke, but the Slow Food movement is no laughing matter.
- The eerie silence made him look, at moments, like a stand-up comic whose jokes were falling flat; but of course this was no laughing matter.
- Maggie couldn't joke about her face; it was no laughing matter.
- Everyone jokes about piles, even though they ain't no laughing matter.
- The butt of many a joke, I soon discover that for the sufferers it is no laughing matter.
- Stalking is no laughing matter, especially when a crazy person is threatening to make Welsh rabbit out of one of our national treasures.
play something for laughs (of a performer) try to arouse laughter in an audience, especially in inappropriate circumstances. he played everything for laughs, especially if there were girls around Example sentencesExamples - They feel that I want to play certain scenes for laughs rather than emphasising the seriousness of the situation.
- The director encouraged me to play the part for laughs, and so a character developed which was effectively a satire on all my adolescent neuroses.
- The original surf movies basically played the formula for laughs, with a few cheap thrills mixed in.
- Rock seems uneasy carrying a semi-serious role, and can't conceal his natural urge to play every situation for laughs.
- He thought if you're going to act the fool - and he did in one sense, he had that sort of clownish character - then you had got to play it for laughs.
- Like everyone else, he played the situation for laughs.
- Instead he plays it for laughs, as perky one-liners replace probing dialogue.
- Learning from experience, we have adopted a highly conservative approach to fiction and mostly play it for laughs.
- They played it for laughs, and there were plenty of those.
- And while most of the characters are played for laughs, there are some truly poignant moments in this story.
Origin Old English hlæhhan, hliehhan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lachen, also to laughter. Rhymes barf, behalf, calf, chaff, coif, giraffe, Graf, graph, half, scarf, scrum half, staff, strafe, wing half Definition of laugh in US English: laughverblaflæf [no object]1Make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expressions of lively amusement and sometimes also of contempt or derision. she couldn't help laughing at his jokes with direct speech she laughed, “Not a chance.” Example sentencesExamples - He almost laughed out loud at how clumsy he had been at that age.
- With the tension broken, both men laughed heartily at the thought.
- He liked the way sometimes a little crease wrinkled the side of her nose when she laughed.
- We laughed, we flirted and we agreed to continue having the great talks we have together.
- As we waited to go out again, we sat in a circle, laughed and ate hot cross buns.
- She laughed until the tears attempted to roll up her appley cheeks and she had to beg for mercy.
- The script had jokes in it, you could tell, but no one laughed because of the timing.
- All the kids around the playground laughed hysterically at this pathetic joke.
- I laughed all the way through and in the end I left the cinema grinning from ear to ear.
- I told her she had already sent one and she laughed and said her memory was going.
- Kate laughed as she looked at him, wondering just what was going through his mind.
- He then laughed in a way that sane people do not laugh and asked for ten male volunteers.
- Matt almost laughed aloud in spite of himself.
- They really laughed and asked some good questions and most of them bought a book.
- Rarely, he remarked afterwards, had an audience laughed so heartily at his jokes.
- The audience laughed lightly at the absurdity of this.
- Will laughed quietly and I looked up to see him nodding, looking at me softly with a smile.
- Amy laughed hysterically at her joke and placed the items on the conveyer belt.
- Your excitement was infectious as you laughed and gasped as we were whirled and twisted.
- She told me herself and I laughed until my eyes leaked tears and my nose leaked snot.
Synonyms chuckle, chortle, guffaw, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, cackle, howl, roar, tee-hee, burst out laughing, hoot with laughter, roar with laughter, shake with laughter, be convulsed with laughter, dissolve into laughter, split one's sides, hold one's sides, be doubled up ridicule, mock, deride, scoff at, jeer at, sneer at, jibe at, make fun of, poke fun at, make jokes about, heap scorn on, scorn, pooh-pooh guffaw, chuckle, chortle, cackle, howl, roar, ha-ha, fall about, hoot with laughter, roar with laughter, shake with laughter, be convulsed with laughter, dissolve into laughter, split one's sides, be doubled up - 1.1laugh at Ridicule; scorn.
Example sentencesExamples - All posts will be treated in the strictest confidence and nobody will laugh at anybody.
- I am aided along this expressway to embarrassment by Alec, who either makes things worse or laughs at me.
- Now everyone within a ten mile radius laughs at you in the street.
- To say that I have found motherhood fulfilling and rewarding is sneered and laughed at.
- I will think of her laughing at the ridiculousness of what we're both doing.
- We must not permit the criminals to mock us and to laugh at us when they take advantage of us.
- If your guidance counselor laughs at you because of what your hope for a career is, ignore them.
- My husband laughs at me because I put our children's clothes on the radiator to warm in winter but it is a habit I picked up from my mother.
- It was a local story that inspired the poem about a drunken farmer who laughs at the devil and only just escapes.
- The only problem is that I have to walk with my legs apart and I look like an idiot that way and everyone looks at me and laughs at me.
- The other driver took my details and he must have been laughing at me as I pulled away - the car was a wreck.
- The plain card laughs at you, symbolically suggesting that it's a fleeting moment of happiness.
- They showed no respect for the fact he is going through a hard time and instead tried to have a cheap laugh at him.
- 1.2laugh something off Dismiss something embarrassing, unfortunate, or potentially serious by treating it in a lighthearted way or making a joke of it.
Example sentencesExamples - I've tried talking to my parents but they just seem to laugh it off and ignore me saying that I'll feel better tomorrow.
- Apologize in a lighthearted way, and laugh it off by turning it into a joke.
- Probably thinking I hadn't caught the exchange, he shook his head, laughed it off, ‘Never mind.’
- Avoiding, dismissing or laughing them off on a consistent basis means that many important issues go unresolved.
- Don't rise to their teasing; try and laugh it off or just plain ignore them!
- When I was a child, if I told my parents I thought they were wrong about whatever they would just shrug and laugh it off, maybe correcting my grammar along the way.
- Ordinarily, Alexander's slip in the radio studio would be laughed off as a joke.
- Mention this to the star and he simply laughs it off.
- She tried to laugh it off dismissively, but her words seemed to pique his interest.
- He never seems to notice, he shrugs, laughs it off, but she smiles at these women, at every one, she smiles into their eyes.
Synonyms dismiss, make a joke of, make light of, refuse to acknowledge, overlook, turn a blind eye to, discount, ignore, disregard, shrug off, brush aside, scoff at, pooh-pooh, take no notice of, pay no attention to, play down, never mind - 1.3be laughinginformal Be in a fortunate or successful position.
if next year's model is as successful, Ford will be laughing
nounlaflæf 1An act of laughing. she gave a loud, silly laugh Example sentencesExamples - Michael's weak attempt to stifle a laugh was futile.
- She laughed a tinkling little laugh, and I wondered if she even knew about Becca.
- It was a real laugh, a ha-ha laugh, unlike the fit of hysterics he'd had earlier.
- All he knew was that that laugh sounded like nothing he had ever heard before.
- The man's laugh echoed against the metal walls as he left the hanger.
- Matt laughed so hard that he snorted and it only made us laugh harder.
- A nervous little laugh escaped her, to her chagrin.
- He looked back at his friend over his shoulder and laughed a short, hearty laugh.
- Max barely stifled an explosive laugh of relief.
- She gave a nervous little laugh, unable to hold his gaze any longer.
- I have not heard an audience laugh so hard and so long in a movie theater in a long time.
- Make your own mind up and laugh along the way.
- I gave a mirthless laugh at her joke and continued my search.
- A laugh came to her eyes, like she was remembering some funny memory.
- But his plan became clear as she started bursting out with guffaws and laughs and giggles when he tickled her.
- He had the same lopsided grin he sported to make people laugh at his antics.
- But the laugh sounded false, and she didn't think it was very funny.
- Her laugh sounded forced and nervous sometimes, but you could tell the difference.
- He let out a loud, hearty laugh.
- Trying to make the audience laugh is perhaps not much more difficult than trying to explain why it laughs.
Synonyms chuckle, chortle, guffaw, giggle, titter, ha-ha, tee-hee, snigger, roar of laughter, hoot of laughter, shriek of laughter, peal of laughter, belly laugh 2a laughinformal Something that causes laughter; a source of fun, amusement, or derision. she decided to play along with him for a laugh that's a laugh, the idea of you cooking a meal! Example sentencesExamples - I have to confess that I always get a good belly laugh out of such nonsense.
- We're not as good as some of the other teams, but we have a good laugh.
- Fun, light spirited and cute, you like to have a laugh, but never take a lot of things seriously.
- And nothing cures a cold as efficiently as a good laugh.
- Sometimes, especially when going to bed, it was good just to have a laugh, and forget about the worries of the day.
- He showed his sense of humour and gave the public plenty of laughs along the way.
- It was good to talk about it, have a laugh and clear the air.
- And now for a good laugh: Andie passes along this gem from the Onion.
- And if not, well, at least we can all share a good laugh about it.
- And there are plenty of laughs along the way to make up for it.
- It was good to see the crowd stop taking themselves so seriously and have a laugh for once!
- Time to actually talk to patients, make a fuss of the kids and have a laugh.
- What I miss is being able to relax, see my mates, go for a beer and have a laugh.
- Who am I to complain about them, they just wanted a good laugh, and I was glad I provided some entertainment on the last lazy, unproductive Friday.
- I get dressed up and go to work at a pub or a club; I see colleagues and have a laugh.
- Kate's the funny, bubbly one in the group, so wherever they go they always have a laugh.
- The head doorman is a bit of joker and you can have a laugh with him but it's not advisable to upset him too much.
- He loved to have a laugh, a bit of fun and to have a drink.
- For audiences, the point of comedy is to have a laugh.
- After dinner, people swap stories, play music, have a laugh.
Synonyms joke, prank, piece of fun, jest, escapade, adventure, caper, romp, practical joke, trick, bit of mischief - 2.1 A person who is good fun or amusing company.
I like Peter—he's a good laugh Example sentencesExamples - I would just like to say what a lovely person Jess is - she really is - and she is a right laugh and can always make people smile when they need to smile.
- While in NYC check this bar out, the women are gorgeous and friendly too, and the bar staff are a good laugh.
- She is a right laugh, imaginative, passionate and most definitely not a worrying stress-head.
- I got on especially well with Colin, who was friendly and a good laugh.
- Amanda is a good mate, I haven't seen her much but I know she is a laugh and a great mate, and she is a good mate to Sam as well.
- She is a good person and a good laugh, and yet she constantly lies.
- After I got back, I noticed that my friends from Longsight were there, so we went to join them, which was a good decision because Alan, Paul and Colin are a good laugh.
- If he was a bumbling character in a tv comedy he'd be a good laugh.
- She looks great without trying too hard, spends her money on fine wine, is a good laugh but likes to read in her spare time and works in a caring profession.
- Despite that, you're a good laugh and fun to be around.
Synonyms joker, comedian, comic, comedienne, humorist, wag, wit, entertainer, clown, funny man, funny woman, jester, prankster, character
Phrases laugh all the way to the bank informal Make a great deal of money very easily. Example sentencesExamples - The real criminals will be laughing all the way to the bank.
- Because those of us outside the industry aren't the ones making the money hand over fist and laughing all the way to the bank with the existing system.
- The Aussies might be crying into their beer over the recent loss of the Ashes to the English cricketers, but they are laughing all the way to the bank with their British investments.
- At the moment, the big promoters are laughing all the way to the bank as they pay the same flat registration fee, irrespective of the prices they charge and how many tickets they sell.
- Whoever came up with the idea of creating special occasions, such as Father's Day, must be laughing all the way to the bank.
- Because I think it is important for us to know who is laughing and who is ridiculing the pain and suffering of so many and, most importantly, laughing all the way to the bank.
- Meanwhile, the people who will benefit - the rich - will be laughing all the way to the bank…
- And, if tourists come as thick and fast as those visiting cards, Kerala tourism industry will be laughing all the way to the bank.
- And it looks like the show's top advertisers are laughing all the way to the bank.
- For themselves, they're grabbing as much as they can, as fast as they can, any way that they can, and laughing all the way to the bank.
Be finally vindicated, thus confounding earlier skepticism. Example sentencesExamples - I don't know who is having the last laugh on this one.
- The problem is that the players are invariably selling themselves short and it is the marketing executives that are having the last laugh.
- So, with 300 films in five languages to his credit, is he having the last laugh on those who rejected his face as being ‘crude and harsh’?
- Well all I can say is that in a month we'll see who will be having the last laugh.
- Then he wrote a best-selling book which sounded very much like having the last laugh at his investors' expense.
- For years his proudest boast has been that while others have criticised his growth forecasts, he has ended up having the last laugh.
- ‘I couldn't believe I had scored a goal like that and I couldn't stop laughing but I suppose Rangers had the last laugh,’ he said afterwards.
- You have to laugh but she'll have the last laugh when she gets offered all the plum roles as a female pirate.
- According to government statistics, 70 people are killed and 250,000 are injured doing DIY each year - so you'll be the one having the last laugh when he's wheeled off to casualty.
- It's also an old master having the last laugh on a movie project that seemed destined to fail.
Laugh heartily or uncontrollably. Example sentencesExamples - He laughed his head off; and sure enough thought it was soo funny that he called anybody to let them know.
- All I can say about that one is that I am laughing my head off!
Show open contempt for someone by laughing rudely at them in their presence. figurative vandals and muggers who laugh in the face of the law Example sentencesExamples - Rose was so furious that this man had the nerve to steal her away from her friends and family, stuff her in a crate, only to open it a while later and laugh in her face.
- If anyone had told me in 2002 that I'd be sat at this computer writing about how I had overcome crippling self-doubt, anxiety, and low self-esteem I would have laughed in their face.
- I swear fate or something like it was laughing in my face.
- And this time, instead of having the feeling of one person looking at you, it seemed like the whole world was staring and laughing in my face.
- At one audition, the casting director laughed in her face.
- This is right by the place where justice is supposed to be served and yet they're laughing in its face.
- When he excitedly told me about his new job three weeks ago - earning £12k less than me - I didn't laugh in his face and wave my payslip in his face.
- If you'd walked up to me over a year ago and said I will be going to the gym twice a week within a few months, I would have laughed in your face.
- The bishop has moral authority over his priests, but if one of them laughs in his face, that moral authority is useless.
- If, ten years ago, someone had said that I'd be writing sentences that like I would have laughed in their face in a cynically and postmodernly way, in keeping with my cool, confident image.
the laugh is on me (or you, him, etc.) The tables are turned and now the other person is the one who appears ridiculous. all the critics had laughed at him—well, the laugh was on them now Example sentencesExamples - My own marriage give me lots of material for my cartoons, but, unfortunately, my wife is so great that most of the time, the laugh is on me.
- But this person paid in the long run now the laugh is on him.
- I sincerely hope the laugh is on him this time, permanently, but he has shown an uncanny ability to worm his way out of trouble and I'm afraid he'll do it again.
- Actually, the laugh is on me, because when I first read the question, I thought it was meant to be a political debate…
informal Laugh raucously. Example sentencesExamples - My beloved is going to laugh like a drain when he reads that.
- It's so obvious and not even that original but somehow the joke had never occurred to me and I laughed like a drain.
- It will, however, almost certainly make you laugh like a drain several times.
- Had I been there I would have laughed like a drain.
- If such infantile hyperbole doesn't have you laughing like a drain, you haven't a hope of wading through this somewhat too hefty book.
- I'm laughing like a drain even before he's delivered the punchlines.
- It'd make me laugh like a drain if I won, which probably isn't a very good recommendation.
- He thought this was a very funny and laughed like a drain.
- Sarcasm may be the lowest form of wit but these had me and The Doctor laughing like a drain in bed last night.
- A friend of mine in her 50s who was active in the women's movement through the 70s laughed like a drain when I told her that.
Synonyms chuckle, chortle, guffaw, giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, cackle, howl, roar, tee-hee, burst out laughing, hoot with laughter, roar with laughter, shake with laughter, be convulsed with laughter, dissolve into laughter, split one's sides, hold one's sides, be doubled up
it's a laugh a minute when Lois gets together with her dad Example sentencesExamples - A veteran of 30 or so such performances, Michael, 37, is guaranteeing a laugh a minute for the diners at the pub/brewery.
- Last week's meeting was literally a laugh a minute, with a great turnout once more of both members and guests.
- Well, that wasn't exactly a laugh a minute was it?
- The stills from the CD cover alone seem to guarantee a laugh a minute / Halloween costume inspiration entertainment fandango.
- We've been over to Grandma's today, her memory is on the wane a little these days, bless her, but she really is a laugh a minute and we never have a dull time when we visit.
- This will be the group's 15th production and all who come along are guaranteed value for money and a laugh a minute into the bargain.
- The pantomime is a laugh a minute with curly wigs, outrageous costumes, banter and confusion the order of the day.
- This movie is cleverly made with a laugh a minute.
- Behind its heavy door and a dark glass wall, the formal dining room isn't exactly a laugh a minute.
- ‘He is a laugh a minute and we are both practical jokers so we got on immediately,’ she said.
- I think the decision to throw Ricky and me together throughout the series was a fantastic idea and it has been a laugh a minute.
Synonyms hilarious, uproarious, very funny, very amusing, comical, comic, farcical
laugh someone/something out of court Dismiss with contempt as being obviously ridiculous. Example sentencesExamples - The ‘scholarship’ used to promote the idea would be laughed out of court if applied to any other ancient book.
- ‘Whenever there has been public scrutiny, their evidence has been laughed out of court,’ he says.
- However, if any one of these players had claimed that they were entitled to aim sectarian abuse at opposition fans or spit on the scarf of an opposition fan, they would be laughed out of court.
- If a burglar who meticulously planned and executed a bank robbery tried to argue that he was not responsible because of damage to his prefrontal cortex, he would be laughed out of court.
- Anyone who tried to put it into an election manifesto would be laughed out of court.
- It's not too far-fetched to say the paper was laughed out of court.
- He said if he took it to court, given the circumstances, he would be laughed out of court and would have a hard time even finding anyone to take the case.
- ‘It's 23 years since I came to this council with this suggestion, but it was laughed out of court,’ he said.
- Back in May 2002, this proposal was laughed out of court.
- I suspect that they dare not make the threat plainly because they know they would be laughed out of court.
Synonyms deride, be contemptuous about, hold in contempt, treat with contempt, heap scorn on, pour scorn on, be scornful about, look down on, look down one's nose at, disdain, curl one's lip at, mock, scoff at, sneer at, sniff at, jeer at, laugh at, laugh out of court
laugh oneself silly (or sick) Laugh uncontrollably or for a long time. Example sentencesExamples - I laughed myself silly over her comparison of children to terrorists, and her tales of her domineering, movie star mother.
- By now he was laughing himself silly on the other end.
- I can just imagine them laughing themselves sick as they made the burger.
- When my vision finally cleared enough to get a good look at the culprit, I focused in on the store manager who was laughing herself silly.
- I wouldn't say the crowd laughed themselves sick, but I was regretting not bringing the video camera for Kirsty's home videos.
- All three nearly passed out as they laughed themselves sick.
- The author's name has caused untold hilarity among Britain's schoolboy humour forum, and I've laughed myself silly.
- He seemed to be laughing himself silly at some of the jokes at his expense, but it may be that he's a good enough actor to fake enjoyment.
- Needless to say, we spent the afternoon laughing ourselves silly.
- Jon and I have been watching this show every week with splendid abandon, laughing ourselves silly at a safe distance.
dated Ridicule something. Example sentencesExamples - Every paid-up Postmodernist knows how to laugh this doctrine to scorn; it is just that most of them disastrously throw out Orwell's politics of lucidity along with it.
- He seems always to be using the same terms for the same things; so that anyone inexpert and thoughtless might laugh his speeches to scorn.
- Their stupid opinion is just as valid as the millions of people who laugh this assertion to scorn.
- He told me that they had all laughed the comment to scorn, but that now he had been somewhere with no decent plumbing he had to conclude that it was the simple truth.
Synonyms mock, make fun of, laugh at, make jokes about, ridicule, jeer at, sneer at, deride, treat with contempt, treat contemptuously, scorn, laugh to scorn, scoff at, pillory, be sarcastic about, satirize, lampoon, burlesque, parody, tease, taunt, rag, make a monkey of, chaff, jibe at
Be secretly or inwardly amused. Example sentencesExamples - In any case, the counterrevolution will be a long one, affording us many, many opportunities to be outraged while laughing up our sleeves at the spectacle.
- Deep down, we suspect those we grant our patronage to are secretly laughing up their sleeves at us even as we enrich them.
- Some of my pals are starting to wonder if Mother Nature has been laughing up her sleeve at them all this time.
- Little did I know at the time how my manager and new co-workers were laughing up their sleeves.
- His attack must have had the devil laughing up his sleeve.
- You were laughing up your sleeve at me and all the other kids who you were putting through this Hell.
- And I am afraid I also must laugh up my sleeve at this poor reader.
- The woman at the kiosk, who in hindsight clearly didn't give a damn about the cinema ratings system let him through and must have been laughing up her sleeve at us.
Something serious that should not be joked about. heavy snoring is no laughing matter Example sentencesExamples - Well-timed equipment fires may be a standing industry joke, but the reality is no laughing matter.
- However the problem of alcohol abuse in Scotland is no laughing matter as it is a major health and social problem that should be addressed seriously.
- Everyone jokes about piles, even though they ain't no laughing matter.
- The butt of many a joke, I soon discover that for the sufferers it is no laughing matter.
- Stalking is no laughing matter, especially when a crazy person is threatening to make Welsh rabbit out of one of our national treasures.
- The troops like to joke that every chapatti they eat costs 40 rupees but winter life on the heights is no laughing matter.
- However, I must say that, you know, I always laugh with him, but his policies are no laughing matter.
- The eerie silence made him look, at moments, like a stand-up comic whose jokes were falling flat; but of course this was no laughing matter.
- It all began as a joke, but the Slow Food movement is no laughing matter.
- Maggie couldn't joke about her face; it was no laughing matter.
play something for laughs (of a performer) try to arouse laughter in an audience, especially in inappropriate circumstances. Example sentencesExamples - The director encouraged me to play the part for laughs, and so a character developed which was effectively a satire on all my adolescent neuroses.
- Rock seems uneasy carrying a semi-serious role, and can't conceal his natural urge to play every situation for laughs.
- And while most of the characters are played for laughs, there are some truly poignant moments in this story.
- The original surf movies basically played the formula for laughs, with a few cheap thrills mixed in.
- He thought if you're going to act the fool - and he did in one sense, he had that sort of clownish character - then you had got to play it for laughs.
- They feel that I want to play certain scenes for laughs rather than emphasising the seriousness of the situation.
- Learning from experience, we have adopted a highly conservative approach to fiction and mostly play it for laughs.
- They played it for laughs, and there were plenty of those.
- Instead he plays it for laughs, as perky one-liners replace probing dialogue.
- Like everyone else, he played the situation for laughs.
laugh out of the other side of one's mouth Be discomfited after feeling satisfaction or confidence about something. you'd be laughing out the other side of your mouth if we were sitting in jail right now Example sentencesExamples - The right honourable gentleman opposite is a very naughty man, and he will laugh on the other side of his face when my ship comes in.
- Mind you, I bet he'll be laughing on the other side of his face when he sees how much I've got.
- I was laughing on the other side of my face when they suggested that I do a guest editing spot - that'll teach me!
- Give him a health problem that stopped him from getting all that exercise through no fault of his own and he'd be laughing on the other side of his face.
- And then laughed on the other side of his face when my answer turned out to be correct, ahem.
- Their laughter was uproarious, but I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face.
- She will laugh on the other side of her face in 2 years' time.
- I think that for some time now they have been laughing on the other side of their face.
Origin Old English hlæhhan, hliehhan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German lachen, also to laughter. |