Laugh
Laugh (laf) , intransitive verb
[Old English laughen, laghen, lauhen, Anglo-Saxon hlehhan, hlihhan, hlyhhan, hliehhan; akin to Old Saxon hlahan, Dutch & German lachen, Old High German hlahhan, lahhan, lahhēn, Icelandic hlaja,W Danish lee, Swedish le, Gothic hlahjan; perh. of imitative origin.]
1.
To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge in laughter.
Queen Hecuba laughed that her eyes ran o'er.
He laugheth that winneth.
2.
Figuratively: To be or appear gay, cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
Then laughs the childish year, with flowerets crowned.
In Folly's cup still laughs the bubble Joy.
No wit to flatter left of all his store,
No fool to laugh at, which he valued more.
Laugh , transitive verb
1.
To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?
I shall laugh myself to death.
2.
To express by, or utter with, laughter; -- with out.
From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause.
Collocations (4)
To laugh away , (a) To drive away by laughter; as, to laugh away regret. (b) To waste in hilarity. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.
To laugh down , (a) To cause to cease or desist by laughter; as, to laugh down a speaker. (b) To cause to be given up on account of ridicule; as, to laugh down a reform.
To laugh one out of , to cause one by laughter or ridicule to abandon or give up; as, to laugh one out of a plan or purpose.
To laugh to scorn , to deride; to treat with mockery, contempt, and scorn; to despise.
Laugh , noun
An expression of mirth peculiar to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter. See Laugh, v. i.
And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
That man is a bad man who has not within him the power of a hearty laugh.