cough — to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh sound
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh sound
Pronunciation (IPA): /kɔːf/
Example Sentences
- The student tried to cough quietly during the exam, but it sounded like a dying walrus.
- Please cover your mouth when you cough to prevent spreading germs.
- My grandmother's cough medicine tastes so bad, even the bacteria run away.
cough
VERB[/kɔːf/]
to expel air from the lungs suddenly with a harsh sound
She lets out a sudden cough during the quiet library study session.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word cough originates from Middle English 'coughen', derived from onomatopoetic roots that imitate the actual sound of coughing. Similar representations of the cough sound appear across many European languages, reflecting the natural imitation of this bodily sound.
Breakdown
cough comes from Middle English 'coughen', which is an onomatopoetic formation (cough-) based on the phonetic imitation of the respiratory sound itself, with the -en suffix gradually dropping in the transition to Modern English.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The student tried to cough quietly during the exam, but it sounded like a dying walrus.”
“Please cover your mouth when you cough to prevent spreading germs.”
“My grandmother's cough medicine tastes so bad, even the bacteria run away.”
“He had to cough up the money he owed his friend.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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