coughing up
Definition
- Noun:
- The act of expelling (food or phlegm) by coughing: The physical action of forcing something from the lungs or throat out through the mouth by means of a cough.
Usage
- This term is used to describe the specific, often involuntary, act of expelling material from the respiratory tract. It is a medical or descriptive term.
- It is commonly used in healthcare contexts or in everyday descriptions of illness.
Examples
- Noun:
- Persistent coughing up of phlegm can be a symptom of bronchitis.
- After choking on a piece of bread, the coughing up of the food provided immediate relief.
Advanced Usage
- "coughing up blood (hemoptysis)": A serious medical symptom indicating potential injury or disease in the respiratory tract.
- Coughing up blood requires immediate medical attention.
Variants and Related Words
- Cough up (phrasal verb): To expel something by coughing; also used informally to mean reluctantly giving money or information.
- He finally coughed up the money he owed. (This is a separate, idiomatic usage of the phrasal verb.)
- Expectoration (n): A more formal, medical synonym for the act of coughing up and spitting out phlegm.
Synonyms
- Expectorating: The process of coughing up and spitting out mucus from the lungs or throat.
- Dislodging (through coughing): Forcing something to move from where it was stuck by coughing.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Cough up:
- Literal meaning: To expel something from the lungs or throat by coughing.
- The patient coughed up a lot of mucus.
- Idiomatic meaning: To give something, especially money or information, unwillingly.
- He had to cough up $50 for the fine. (This meaning is listed here as it is a distinct usage of the phrasal verb form.)
Related Idioms
- Cough up the dough: A slang idiom meaning to pay money, often reluctantly.
- If you break the window, you'll have to cough up the dough to fix it. (This idiom is based on the phrasal verb "cough up," not directly on the noun "coughing up.")
Noun
-
the act of expelling (food or phlegm) by coughing
