Definition

1. Noun:

   • A soft, partly suppressed laugh: A "chortle" is a joyful, often breathy or muffled sound of amusement, quieter than a full laugh but expressing clear delight or glee.

2. Verb:

   • To laugh quietly or with restraint: To "chortle" means to laugh in a gleeful, sometimes snorting manner, often while trying to hold back the full volume of the laughter.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • He gave a quiet chortle of amusement at the clever joke.
  • A soft chortle escaped her lips as she read the funny message.

• Verb:

  • She chortled to herself while remembering the silly incident.
  • The audience chortled politely at the comedian's witty observation.

Advanced Usage

• "to chortle with glee": to laugh with a feeling of triumphant joy.

  • The child chortled with glee upon finding the hidden candy.

• "to chortle over something": to laugh quietly about something specific.

  • They spent the afternoon chortling over old family photos.

Variants and Related Words

• Chortler (n): a person who chortles.
  • He's a known chortler during serious meetings.

Synonyms

• Chuckle: A quiet, suppressed laugh, very similar to a chortle but sometimes seen as softer and less gleeful.
• Giggle: A light, silly, often high-pitched laugh, typically associated with nervousness or children.
• Snicker: A sly, partly stifled laugh, often expressing derision or mockery.

Related Phrases

• To chortle one's way through: to proceed while laughing quietly.
  • He chortled his way through the entire embarrassing story.

Noun

1. a soft partly suppressed laugh

Verb

1. laugh quietly or with restraint