Cough
WordNet
noun
(1) The act of exhaling air suddenly with a noise
(2) Sudden expulsion of air from the lungs that clears the air passages; a common symptom of upper respiratory infection or bronchitis or pneumonia or tuberculosis
verb
(3) Exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion
"The smoker coughs all day"
WiktionaryText
Etymology
From a imitative base *kox- (unattested in Old English, but probably present as *cohhian; compare ). Cognate with Dutch , German .
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.
- To make a noise like a cough
- The engine coughed and sputtered.
Noun
- A sudden, usually noisy expulsion of air from the lungs, often involuntary.
- Behind me, I heard a distinct, dry cough.
- A condition that causes one to cough; a tendency to cough.
- Sorry, I can't come to work today – I've got a nasty cough.