Definition

1. Noun:
   • Nitrous oxide: "laughing-gas" is a common name for nitrous oxide (N₂O), a colourless, sweet-tasting gas used as a mild anaesthetic and analgesic, especially in dentistry. It is called "laughing-gas" because inhaling it can cause euphoria, laughter, or a giddy sensation.

Usage Examples

• (Nitrous oxide used for anaesthesia.)
• (The euphoric effect of nitrous oxide.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be under laughing-gas": to be anaesthetized or affected by nitrous oxide.

  • She was under laughing-gas during the tooth extraction and felt no pain. (She was sedated with nitrous oxide.)

• "laughing-gas party": a historical or informal gathering where nitrous oxide is inhaled recreationally for its euphoric effects.

  • In the 19th century, laughing-gas parties were popular among the wealthy. (Social events involving nitrous oxide inhalation.)

Variants and Related Words

• Laughing (adj): producing laughter or amusement.
  • The clown's laughing antics delighted the children. (Amusing actions.)
• Gas (n): a substance in a form that expands to fill any container; a vapour.
  • The gas from the cylinder was released slowly. (A gaseous substance.)

Synonyms

• Nitrous oxide: the chemical name for laughing-gas.
• Sweet air: an old-fashioned term for nitrous oxide due to its sweet taste.

Related Idioms

• To have a laugh: to enjoy oneself or share amusement (not directly related to laughing-gas, but shares the root "laugh").
  • We had a laugh at the party. (We enjoyed ourselves.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Laugh off: to dismiss something as unimportant or amusing.
  • He laughed off the criticism. (He ignored or treated it lightly.)

Note: "Laughing-gas" is a compound noun and is used as a single term. It does not have phrasal verbs or idioms that directly incorporate it, but related expressions are listed for context.