Definitions for cough
kɔf, kɒfcough

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. cough, coughing(verb)

   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

2. cough(verb)

   exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion

   "The smoker coughs all day"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. cough(Noun)

   A sudden, usually noisy expulsion of air from the lungs, often involuntary.

   Behind me, I heard a distinct, dry cough.

   Etymology: From a imitative base *kox- (unattested in Old English, but probably present as *cohhian; compare cohhetan). Cognate with Dutch kuchen, German keuchen, Albanian hukat.

2. cough(Noun)

   A condition that causes one to cough; a tendency to cough.

   Sorry, I can't come to work today u2013 I've got a nasty cough.

   Etymology: From a imitative base *kox- (unattested in Old English, but probably present as *cohhian; compare cohhetan). Cognate with Dutch kuchen, German keuchen, Albanian hukat.

3. cough(Verb)

   To push air from the lungs in a quick, noisy explosion.

   I breathed in a load of smoke by mistake, and started to cough.

   Etymology: From a imitative base *kox- (unattested in Old English, but probably present as *cohhian; compare cohhetan). Cognate with Dutch kuchen, German keuchen, Albanian hukat.

4. cough(Verb)

   To make a noise like a cough

   The engine coughed and sputtered.

   Etymology: From a imitative base *kox- (unattested in Old English, but probably present as *cohhian; compare cohhetan). Cognate with Dutch kuchen, German keuchen, Albanian hukat.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Cough(verb)

   to expel air, or obstructing or irritating matter, from the lungs or air passages, in a noisy and violent manner

   Etymology: [Cg. D. kuch. See Cough, v. i. ]

2. Cough(verb)

   to expel from the lungs or air passages by coughing; -- followed by up; as, to cough up phlegm

   Etymology: [Cg. D. kuch. See Cough, v. i. ]

3. Cough(verb)

   to bring to a specified state by coughing; as, he coughed himself hoarse

   Etymology: [Cg. D. kuch. See Cough, v. i. ]

4. Cough(verb)

   a sudden, noisy, and violent expulsion of air from the chest, caused by irritation in the air passages, or by the reflex action of nervous or gastric disorder, etc

   Etymology: [Cg. D. kuch. See Cough, v. i. ]

5. Cough(verb)

   the more or less frequent repetition of coughing, constituting a symptom of disease

   Etymology: [Cg. D. kuch. See Cough, v. i. ]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Cough

   A cough, is a sudden and often repetitively occurring reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages from secretions, irritants, foreign particles and microbes. The cough reflex consists of three phases: an inhalation, a forced exhalation against a closed glottis, and a violent release of air from the lungs following opening of the glottis, usually accompanied by a distinctive sound. Coughing is either voluntary or involuntary. Frequent coughing usually indicates the presence of a disease. Many viruses and bacteria benefit evolutionarily by causing the host to cough, which helps to spread the disease to new hosts. Most of the time, irregular coughing is caused by a respiratory tract infection but can be triggered by choking, smoking, air pollution, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, post-nasal drip, chronic bronchitis, lung tumors, heart failure and medications such as ACE inhibitors. Treatment should target the cause; for example, smoking cessation or discontinuing ACE inhibitors. Cough suppressants such as codeine or dextromethorphan are frequently prescribed, but have been demonstrated to have little effect. Other treatment options may target airway inflammation or may promote mucus expectoration. As it is a natural protective reflex, suppressing the cough reflex might have damaging effects, especially if the cough is productive.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Cough

   kof, n. an effort of the lungs to throw off injurious matter, accompanied by a harsh sound, proceeding from the throat.—v.i. to make this effort.—v.t. to expel from the throat or lungs by a cough.—ns. Cough′-drop, -loz′enge, a sweetmeat taken to cure coughing; Cough′er; Cough′ing,—Cough down, to drown a speaker's voice by coughing, so that he must stop. [M. E. coughen; cf. Dut. kuchen, Ger. keuchen, keichen, to gasp.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Cough

   A sudden, audible expulsion of air from the lungs through a partially closed glottis, preceded by inhalation. It is a protective response that serves to clear the trachea, bronchi, and/or lungs of irritants and secretions, or to prevent aspiration of foreign materials into the lungs.

How to pronounce cough?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say cough in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of cough in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of cough in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of cough in a Sentence

1. The CDC:

   Relatively few children with COVID-19 are hospitalized, and fewer children than adults experience fever, cough, or shortness of breath.

2. Anne Schuchat:

   The coronavirus that we're talking about is a respiratory virus. It's spread in a similar way to the common cold or to influenza. It's spread through coughs and sneezes, so those everyday sensible measures that we tell people to do every year with the flu are important here -- covering your cough, staying home when you're sick and washing your hands.

3. Donald Trump:

   I don't like that, you know, I don't like that, if you're going to cough, please leave the room. You just can't, you just can't cough.

4. Brandi Newsome:

   This cough is usually worse than just a mere nuisance, it’s very dry, hacky, and in fits. It kind of reminds you of whooping cough.

5. Vince Lu:

   One year ago, when we were sick, no matter it was cold, flu or fever, we still went out with friends and ate hotpot together with no problem at all, but now if you have a mild sore throat, when you cough a bit, people next to you will jump ten metres away from you.

Images & Illustrations of cough

Popularity rank by frequency of use