laugh

laugh¹ W2S2 [la:f US læf] v

[: Old English; Origin: hliehhan]

1.)

to make sounds with your voice, usually while you are smiling, because you think something is funny

▪ Maria looked at him and laughed.

laugh at/about

▪ 'I didn't know what I was doing,' she said, laughing at the memory.

▪ Tony was laughing so hard he had to steady himself on the table.

▪ Nora laughed so much that she nearly cried.

laugh heartily/uproariously/hysterically etc

(=laugh a lot)

▪ The kids tumbled around on the floor, laughing hysterically.

▪ He couldn't help it; he burst out laughing (=suddenly started laughing) .

laugh your head off

▪ He's one of the few writers who can make me laugh out loud .

2.) [T]

to say something in a voice that shows you are amused

▪ 'You look ridiculous!' Nick laughed.

3.) not know whether to laugh or cry

to feel upset or annoyed about something bad that has happened, but also able to see that there is something funny about it

▪ And when I couldn't find the passports - honestly, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!

4.) don't make me laugh

[i]spoken used when someone has just told you something that is completely untrue, asked for something impossible etc

▪ 'Can you finish this by tomorrow?' 'Don't make me laugh.'

5.) no laughing matter informal

something serious that should not be joked about

▪ It's no laughing matter having to walk by a group of rowdy drunks every night just to get home.

6.) be laughed out of court also be laughed out of town/business etc AmE

if a person or idea is laughed out of court etc, the idea is not accepted because people think it is completely stupid

▪ We can't propose that! We'd be laughed out of court!

7.) you have to laugh

spoken used to say that, even though a situation is annoying or disappointing, you can also see that there is something funny about it

8.) be laughing all the way to the bank informal

to make a lot of money without making much effort

9.) sb will be laughing on the other side of their face

spoken used to say that although someone is happy or confident now, they will be in trouble later

10.) be laughing

BrE spoken informal to be happy or in a good situation, for example because something has had a successful result for you

▪ Well they paid me, didn't they, so I'm laughing.

11.) laugh in sb's face

to behave towards someone in a way that shows that you do not respect them

▪ I told my sister what I thought, and she just laughed in my face.

12.) laugh up your sleeve

to be secretly happy, especially because you have played a trick on someone or criticized them without them knowing

laugh at / [laugh at sb/sth] phr v

1.) to make unkind or funny remarks about someone, because they have done or said something you think is stupid

= ↑tease

▪ I'm afraid the other kids will laugh at me because I don't understand.

2.) to seem not to care about something that most people would worry about

▪ Young offenders just laugh at this sort of sentence.

laugh off [laugh sth<=>off] phr v

to pretend that something is less serious than it really is by laughing or joking about it

▪ Knox laughed off rumors that he would be running for mayor.

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WORD FOCUS: words meaning laugh

giggle to laugh repeatedly in a silly way because you are amused, embarrassed, or nervous

snigger to laugh unkindly and quietly, especially at something that is not meant to be funny

chuckle to laugh quietly, especially because you are thinking about something funny

roar/howl with laughter to laugh very loudly because you think something is very funny

be in hysterics to laugh uncontrollably

crack up (informal) to suddenly start laughing a lot

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laugh ²

laugh² S3 n

1.)

the act of laughing or the sound you make when you laugh

▪ a nervous laugh

with a laugh

▪ 'What a mess!' she said, with a laugh.

▪ At first she was silent, then she gave a nervous laugh .

▪ It was a nightmare at the time, but afterwards we all had a good laugh (=laughed a lot) about it.

▪ This scene gets one of the biggest laughs in the movie.

▪ Tell me - I could use a laugh (=I am upset or sad and would like to hear something funny) .

2.)

if something is a laugh, you have fun and enjoy yourself when you are doing it

▪ We all went to the beach last night - it was a really good laugh .

▪ The other campers were nice, and we had a great laugh together.

▪ It was a great holiday with lots of laughs .

3.) sb is a (good) laugh

BrE to be amusing and fun to be with

▪ I like Peter - he's a good laugh.

4.) for laughs also for a laugh BrE

for fun

▪ We took the hot-air balloon ride, just for laughs.

5.) that's a laugh

spoken used to say that something is silly or unlikely

▪ Me? Star in a film? That's a laugh.

6.) have the last laugh

to finally be successful, win an argument etc, after other people have earlier criticized you, defeated you etc

▪ Men make jokes about women drivers, but women have the last laugh - their insurance rates are cheaper.

7.) be a laugh a minute informal

to be very funny - sometimes used humorously to mean that someone or something is not at all funny