cough
Noun:
- A sudden, often involuntary, forceful expulsion of air from the lungs, typically to clear the throat or airways. It is a common reflex action and symptom of various respiratory conditions.
Verb:
- To expel air from the lungs suddenly and noisily, often to clear an obstruction or irritation from the air passages.
As a Noun: Used to refer to the act or sound of coughing, or to a medical condition characterized by frequent coughing.
- She has a persistent cough.
- A loud cough echoed in the quiet room.
As a Verb: Used to describe the action of coughing. It is an intransitive verb (does not take a direct object) in its basic sense.
- He had to cough to clear his throat.
- People with colds often cough.
"to cough something up" (phrasal verb): To expel something, like phlegm or blood, from the lungs or throat by coughing. Informally, it can mean to give something, especially money, reluctantly.
- The patient coughed up some mucus.
- He finally coughed up the money he owed.
"to cough down" (phrasal verb): To drown out a speaker by coughing loudly, preventing them from being heard.
- The audience coughed the unpopular speaker down.
Coughing (n/gerund): The continuous or repeated action of coughing.
- His constant coughing was a nuisance.
Cough drop (n): A medicated lozenge designed to soothe a sore throat or suppress a cough. (This is a compound noun, listed here as a related term).
- Noun: Hack, tussis (medical term).
- Verb: Hack, clear one's throat.
- Cough out: Similar to "cough up," meaning to expel something by coughing or to say something abruptly while coughing.
- He coughed out an apology between fits.
- Churchyard cough: (Archaic/idiomatic) A deep, serious cough that sounds as if it could be fatal.
- The old man had a terrible churchyard cough.
- a sudden noisy expulsion of air from the lungs that clears the air passages; a common symptom of upper respiratory infection or bronchitis or pneumonia or tuberculosis
- exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion
- The smoker coughs all day