cough up

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The term "cough up" is a phrasal verb that can have two main meanings. Let's break it down in a simple way.

Basic Meaning:

1. Physical Meaning: To "cough up" can mean to forcefully expel air from the lungs, usually because of a cough. This often involves getting out mucus (a thick substance) or phlegm from the throat or chest.

2. Reluctant Giving: It can also mean to give something, especially money or information, but doing it reluctantly or unwillingly.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "cough up" in both informal and formal contexts, but it's more common in everyday conversation.
• It often has a negative or reluctant feeling when used in the context of giving something.

Advanced Usage:

• In a business context, if someone "coughs up" money, it might imply that they were hesitant but eventually agreed to pay.

Word Variants:

• The base verb is "cough."
• The noun form is "cough" (the act of coughing).
• The adjective form is "coughing" (describing the action).

Different Meanings:

• Besides the meanings mentioned, "cough up" can also be used metaphorically to mean revealing secrets or information that someone would prefer to keep hidden.

Synonyms:

• For the physical meaning: "expel," "bring up."
• For the reluctant giving meaning: "fork over," "hand over," "give up."

Idioms and Related Phrasal Verbs:

• Fork over: Similar to "cough up," meaning to reluctantly give money.
• Come up with: To think of or produce something, often used when discussing ideas or solutions.

Summary:

"Cough up" is a versatile phrasal verb that can describe the action of expelling something from the lungs or the act of giving something reluctantly.

Academic

Verb

1. discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth
2. give reluctantly
   • He coughed up some money for his children's tuition

Synonyms

• expectorate
• cough out
• spit up
• spit out
• pony up