cough
verb
\ ˈkȯf
\
\
coughed;
coughing;
coughs
Definition of cough
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise : to emit a cough (see cough entry 2 sense 1)
The dust made him cough repeatedly.
2
: to make a noise like that of coughing
The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.
: to expel by coughing
—often used with up cough up mucus
cough
nounDefinition of cough (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: a sudden, sharp-sounding expulsion of air from the lungs acting as a protective mechanism to clear the air passages or as a symptom of pulmonary disturbance
2
: a condition marked by repeated or frequent coughing
She has a bad cough.
Examples of cough in a Sentence
Verb
She was coughing and sneezing all day. The dust made him cough. The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.Noun
He has a cough and a cold. They both have bad coughs. I heard a cough from the back of the church.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Adam is facing no injuries, his mom said, other than shortness of breath and coughing with too much physical activity. — Andrew Clark, Indianapolis Star, "She watched in horror as her son nearly drowned. Thousands have shared her powerful story.," 26 July 2019 Buses and cars roared past, coughing gas in their faces. — Stephanie Green, chicagotribune.com, "2019 Algren Awards: Finalist: Host Mother," 20 July 2019 The petting zoo at the farm’s entrance, where newborn animals occasionally cough or sneeze to the delight of visitors, is considered a top tourist destination in the area — alongside the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock, and Plimoth Plantation. — Alison Kuznitz, BostonGlobe.com, "A bumper crop of discord over popular Plymouth farm," 18 July 2019 If a child is coughing or talking, there's a chance the child can push the food out on his or her own. — Amy Haneline, USA TODAY, "Hot dogs cut wrong are the 'perfect size to get lodged into a child's throat'," 3 July 2019 The measles virus can live for up to two hours in air where an infected person coughed or sneezed. — Anne Saker, Cincinnati.com, "Ohio reports first case of measles in two years, amid national outbreak," 3 June 2019 The measles virus spreads through respiratory droplets, usually from somebody coughing or sneezing. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The Measles Signs in Kids Every Parent Needs to Know About," 3 Apr. 2019 It is spread through saliva or mucus by coughing, sneezing or talking, and by sharing eating utensils or cups. — Jason Hanna And Doug Criss, CNN, "300 inmates in Texas' Harris County jail are quarantined over a mumps outbreak," 13 June 2019 Isaac coughed, and his chest tingled like a thousand hot pins pushed in. — Adam O’fallon Price, Harper's magazine, "The Maid’s Story," 10 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
As with so many words in the English language, forgotten (*cough*) can be overused in relation to those greats who have become less revered following prolonged exposure to that oh-so-corrosive agent known as time. — SI.com, "Nereo Rocco: 'El Paron', the Pioneer of Catenaccio & Forgotten Great of Italian Football," 30 July 2019 The teenagers from Milwaukee, Waukesha and Winnebago counties were brought to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin with extreme cough, shortness of breath and fatigue. — CBS News, "Vaping suspected of severely injuring lungs of 8 Wisconsin teens, doctors say," 26 July 2019 Historically, it was used by Native Americans as a painkiller and a cure for toothache, coughs, colds, sore throats and snake bite. — Cindy Dampier, chicagotribune.com, "Cannabis isn’t the only game in town — medicinal plants that cure headaches and fight cancer can be found in Chicago’s oldest medicinal garden," 25 July 2019 The runny nose, cough, congestion and just not feeling well usually lasts about 10 days. — Anchorage Daily News, "The Kid’s Doctor: Get smart about antibiotics this cold and flu season," 24 July 2019 Measles symptoms include a rash, high fever, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite and red, watery eyes. — Anne Saker, Cincinnati.com, "Ohio reports first case of measles in two years, amid national outbreak," 3 June 2019 Anyone with symptoms like cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat and itchy, inflamed eyes should stay home instead of going to work or school. — Erin Allday, SFChronicle.com, "Death of 9-year-old Milpitas boy to common virus perplexes doctors," 14 July 2019 The bacteria can cause Legionellosis disease, a form of pneumonia which results in flu-like symptoms, including headache, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, muscle aches and diarrhea. — Colin Campbell, baltimoresun.com, "Worried about Legionnaires’ disease from Baltimore Harbor Tunnel tolls? Relax, experts say.," 11 July 2019 Globe Magazine There’s a lot to like here in the (cough) Hub of the Universe. — BostonGlobe.com, "15 things to love and 11 things to loathe about Boston," 2 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cough.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for cough
cough
verb
English Language Learners Definition of cough
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to force air through your throat with a short, loud noise often because you are sick
: to make a noise like that of coughing
cough
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of cough (Entry 2 of 2)
: a physical condition or illness that causes someone to cough
: an act of coughing or the sound made when someone coughs
See the full definition for cough in the English Language Learners Dictionary
cough
verb
\ ˈkȯf
\
\
coughed;
coughing
Kids Definition of cough
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: to force air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp short noise or series of noises
2
: to get rid of by coughing
cough up mucus
cough
nounKids Definition of cough (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: a condition in which there is severe or frequent coughing
She has a bad cough.
2
: an act or sound of coughing
a dry cough
cough
intransitive verb
\ ˈkȯf
\
\
Medical Definition of cough
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise usually in a series of efforts
: to expel by coughing
—often used with up
cough up mucus