laugh - Definition from Longman English Dictionary Online

Language:	Old English
Origin:	hliehhan

laugh
1 verb

laugh1 S2 W2 See pronunciation table in "How to use dictionary" pages

1 [intransitive] to make sounds with your voice, usually while you are smiling, because you think something is funny:

Look up a word starting with D or S for samples of headword or sentence pronunciations on the LDOCE CD-ROM

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 [transitive] to say something in a voice that shows you are amused:

'You look ridiculous!' Nick laughed.

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!

don't make me laugh

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.'

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.

be laughed out of court

also be laughed out of town/business etc American English 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!

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

be laughing all the way to the bank

informal to make a lot of money without making much effort

somebody 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

be laughing

British English 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.

laugh in somebody'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.

laugh up your sleeve

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

WORD FOCUS: 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