cough

verb \ ˈkȯf \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

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’s because people in window seats avoid contact with people moving around the cabin who could cough or touch people in aisle seats.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Flu Skies: How Influenza Might Spread On a Plane," 21 Mar. 2018
Each subject is a volunteer, recruited from the U-M or Henry Ford health system, and each shows up coughing and sniffling with some form of upper-respiratory virus.

— bill laitner, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's flu season is yet to peak — and the vaccine isn't helping much," 26 Jan. 2018
Of 1,540 total passengers, only one person was seen coughing moderately.

— susan scutti, CNN, "Your chances of getting sick in the air soar if your neighbor is ill," 19 Mar. 2018
In the lungs, the larvae claw their way out of the organ's tiny air sacs and then clamber up to the windpipe to the pharynx to be coughed and swallowed.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Couple freaks after tabloids spread medical pics of their worm-infested bums," 1 Mar. 2018
Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.

— lawrence specker, AL.com, "Mardi Gras and the flu: Health Department recommends normal care," 5 Feb. 2018
In 76 percent of the fine aerosol particles collected from breathing, both when patients coughed or didn't cough, the samples contained detectable flu virus.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Simply Exhaling May Spread Flu," 23 Jan. 2018
Cincinnati area hospitals are limiting visitors to reduce the spread of flu and other respiratory diseases: No one with symptoms such as a runny nose, coughing, fever, sneezing and related yuckiness.

— anne saker, Cincinnati.com, "Flu raging through Ohio, with a third child dead; precautions you can take to stay well," 17 Jan. 2018
Even snowmobiles coughed and sputtered and refused to start.

— jess bidgood, katharine q. seelye and jack healy, New York Times, "An Eyelash-Freezing ‘Icy Hell’: The One Spot That Could Feel Like Minus 100," 5 Jan. 2018

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! Time Traveler

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

There a few things better in the beauty world than finding an affordable drugstore dupe for the (cough expensive) iconic products blowing up your Instagram.

— macaela mackenzie, Allure, "Maybelline New York's New Gold Shade of Master Chrome Highlighter Is Perfect for Dark Skin Tones," 4 Apr. 2018
Children who develop a sudden fever of 101 degrees or higher, or who have body aches, chills, shakes, a dry cough, are acting lethargic and refusing to drink should see a doctor right away.

— kate morgan, The Cut, "What to Know About Influenza B, the ‘Second Wave’ of Flu Season," 4 Apr. 2018
Symptoms typically begin with a high fever, cough and runny nose.

— andy marso and lynn horsley, kansascity, "Number of measles cases up to 8 in Johnson County. Here's who should worry | The Kansas City Star," 19 Mar. 2018
About 5 percent of all doctor visits were for fever, cough and other symptoms — down from 6.4 percent the previous week.

— lena h. sun, miamiherald, "This deadly flu season has peaked, but a late bump could loom | Miami Herald," 5 Mar. 2018
About 5 percent of all doctor visits were for fever, cough and other symptoms — down from 6.4 percent the previous week.

— Washington Post, "The Health 202: One GOP lawmaker is hoping to take a big bipartisan step on opioid addiction," 5 Mar. 2018
Baths Can Relieve Cold And Flu Symptoms Steam from a hot bath works wonders for stuffy noses and bad coughs.

— leah silverman, Town & Country, "7 Reasons Why Baths Are Great For Your Health," 26 Feb. 2018
Health officials on Friday said about 1 of every 13 visits to the doctor last week was for fever, cough and other symptoms of the flu.

— mike stobbe, Time, "The 2018 Flu Season Might Finally Be Leveling Off," 19 Feb. 2018
Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, muscle or body aches and fatigue.

— jesse garza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Mayor Tom Barrett disputes top Milwaukee health official's comments on vaccine, autism link: 'The science is settled'," 12 Feb. 2018

Origin and Etymology of cough

see ¹cough

NEW! Time Traveler

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

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

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

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

intransitive 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