cough (/kɒf/)
verb · Beginner · Body & Health
🔊 /kɒf/
Meaning
Meaning: push air out of the throat noisily
To force air out of the throat with a sudden sharp sound, often when ill or when something irritates the throat. It can also be a noun.
Examples
🗣 He began to cough because of the smoke.
Etymology
From Middle English ‘coughen’, of imitative origin echoing the sound.
How & Where It’s Used
Common when describing illness; ‘a cough’ is also a symptom noun.
Tags: body action, throat