coughverb [ I ]
uk/kɒf/us/kɑːf/B1 to force air out of your lungs through your throat with a short, loud sound:
The smoke made me cough.
I coughed all night long.
to make a sound like a cough:
The car engine coughed a few times, but wouldn't start.
More examples
- She took too big a gulp of whisky and started to cough and splutter.
- He coughed loudly to warn them he was coming.
- She is coughing terribly.
- Some idiot coughed all the way through the concert.
- The smoke made me cough.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Noises made by the body
- belch
- blow
- break
- break wind idiom
- burp
- clear
- fart
- footfall
- footstep
- grumble
- hiccup
- sneeze
- snore
- snort
- wheeze
- wind 1
- yawn
Phrasal verb(s)
cough sth up
cough (sth) up
coughnoun [ C ]
uk/kɒf/us/kɑːf/B1 the act of coughing, or the sound this makes:
a dry cough (= one that does not produce mucus)
a hacking (= very bad and loud) cough
an illness that makes you cough a lot:
a smoker's cough
Emily has a very bad/nasty cough.
More examples
- You should see a doctor about that cough.
- I'm sorry - is my cough annoying you?
- Symptoms of the illness include a high temperature and a persistent dry cough.
- Have you seen a quack about that cough?
- The cough, wheeze and shortness of breath are things that go with smoking, not with age.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Noises made by the body
- belch
- blow
- break
- break wind idiom
- burp
- clear
- fart
- footfall
- footstep
- grumble
- hiccup
- sneeze
- snore
- snort
- wheeze
- wind 1
- yawn
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Colds & flu