cough

play

verb \ˈkȯf\

Definition of cough

intransitive verb
1 : to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise : to emit a cough (see ²cough 1) The dust made him cough repeatedly.
2 : to make a noise like that of coughing The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.
transitive verb
: to expel by coughing —often used with up cough up mucus

See cough defined for English-language learners

See cough defined for kids

Examples of cough in a Sentence

She was coughing and sneezing all day.
The dust made him cough.
The engine coughed and sputtered and then stopped.

Recent Examples of cough from the Web

That day, Chicago’s would-be ace coughed up seven runs on 10 hits (including three home runs) in 2 2/3 innings against the Red Sox.

— SI.com, "25. Chicago White Sox (36–45, minus-16, LT: 18)", 2 July 2017
That changed last fall, when the then-10-year-old dog started coughing.

— kim campbell thornton, sacbee.com, "Health tourism: How far would you go to save your dog’s life?", 23 June 2017
Foster will focus on how much extra support the DUP can persuade the Conservatives to cough up for Northern Ireland.

— dara doyle, Bloomberg.com, "Why May's New Friends in Belfast Might Urge a Pragmatic Brexit", 11 June 2017
Bizzard marched directly to the students and coughed once.

— elisabeth egan, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award finalist: "Errata" by Carol Keeley", 10 June 2017
Midazolam is supposed to prevent inmates from feeling pain before other drugs are given to stop their lungs and heart, but several executions in which inmates lurched or coughed have raised questions about its use.

— kim chandler, The Seattle Times, "Man executed in Alabama for killing 3 workers during robbery", 9 June 2017
Midazolam is supposed to prevent inmates from feeling pain before other drugs are given to stop their lungs and heart, but several executions in which inmates lurched or coughed have raised questions about its use.

— CBS News, "Robert Melson executed in Alabama for '94 triple murder during robbery", 9 June 2017
An inmate in Alabama coughed and heaved for the first 13 minutes of an execution held in December.

— kim chandler, chicagotribune.com, "Alabama executes man for '94 killing of 3 fast-food workers", 9 June 2017
Tuberculosis is a contagious lung ailment that spreads through saliva droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by a person with active tuberculosis disease.

— andy marso, kansascity.com, "He survived tuberculosis as a senior at Olathe Northwest, and now he wants to keep others from getting it", 5 June 2017

These 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.

Origin and Etymology of cough

Middle English, from Old English *cohhian; akin to Middle High German kūchen to breathe heavily

NEW!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

cough

noun

Definition of cough

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.

See cough defined for English-language learners

Examples of cough in a Sentence

He has a cough and a cold.
They both have bad coughs.
I heard a cough from the back of the church.

Recent Examples of cough from the Web

A trio of overbrowned and stiff dumplings squirt a filling of pureed carrot with an herbaceousness that tastes as if someone spiked the baby food with cough medicine.

— mike sula, Chicago Reader, "Clever Rabbit is a feeding frenzy for plant eaters", 5 July 2017
The last type of plague, pneumonic, is also characterized by fever and chills, as well as respiratory problems like chest pain, cough and shortness of breath.

— alexandra sifferlin, Time, "People Are Still Getting the Plague. Here's What You Need to Know", 28 June 2017
Some examples include chronic constipation that causes hard pushing, chronic cough and extra weight.

— cincinnati enquirer, Cincinnati.com, "How likely am I to develop a hernia?", 19 June 2017
Symptoms include headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

— kristine phillips, Washington Post, "Officers at New York precinct told not to shower at station after fears of Legionnaires’ disease", 11 June 2017
Afterward, when people’d cough and their hair would fall out, when their skin was peeling off in chunks, my old man found a bicycle.

— elisabeth egan, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award finalist: "Errata" by Carol Keeley", 10 June 2017
That runny nose and persistent cough that won't go away or the stomach bug bowling through families are the result of viruses, according to a Naperville doctor.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Blame the mild winter for late-season illnesses", 9 June 2017
The audience responded with knowing coughs and nods as the performers added an addendum to the show: a line about President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris accord.

— hilary weaver, Vanities, "John Lithgow Gives Michael Flynn the Broadway Parody He Deserves", 6 June 2017
Normally, the clinics are hives of activity, patients seeking everything from a physical for a job application to relief from a nagging cough.

— vinny vella, Courant Community, "Hartford Clinic’s First ‘Health Coach’ Steers Uninsured To Wellness", 2 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of cough

see ¹cough

NEW!

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

COUGH Defined for English Language Learners

cough

play

verb

Definition of cough for English Language Learners

: 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

noun

Definition of cough for English Language Learners

: a physical condition or illness that causes someone to cough
: an act of coughing or the sound made when someone coughs

COUGH Defined for Kids

cough

play

verb \ˈkȯf\

Definition of cough for Students

coughed

;

coughing

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

play

noun

Definition of cough for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

cough

play

verb \ˈkȯf\

Medical Definition of cough

: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a sharp, short noise usually in a series of efforts
transitive verb

: to expel by coughing—often used with up cough up mucus

cough

noun

Medical Definition of cough

1: a condition marked by repeated, frequent coughing he has a bad cough
2: 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