Etymology : Middle English, from Old English hliehhan; akin to Old High German lachEn to laugh
Pronunciation : laf, l[a]f
Function : verb
Date : before 12th century
1. act of laughing; sound which expresses amusement (or scorn, etc.); something which amuses or causes laughter. make a sound which expresses amusement (or scorn, etc.); ridicule, make fun of. laughaway deal with a problem by laughing or pretending to be amused by it; "she laughs away all these problems" [syn: laugh off ].
2. 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.
3. Fig.: To be or appear gay, cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
4. To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
5. To express by, or utter with, laughter; with out.
6. An expression of mirth peculiar to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter.
7. See Laugh, v. i. a facial expression characteristic of a person laughing; "his face wrinkled in a silent laugh of derision" the sound of laughing produce laughter.
8. 1. When you laugh, you make a sound with your throat while smiling and show that you are happy or amused. People also sometimes laugh when they feel nervous or are being unfriendly. He was about to offer an explanation, but she was beginning to laugh He laughed with pleasure when people said he looked like his dad The British don't laugh at the same jokes as the French `I'll be astonished if I win on Sunday,' laughed Lyle. Laugh is also a noun. Lysenko gave a deep rumbling laugh at his own joke.
9. If people laugh at someone or something, they mock them or make jokes about them. I thought they were laughing at me because I was ugly.
10. If you do something for a laugh or for laughs, you do it as a joke or for fun. They were persuaded onstage for a laugh by their mates It's a project she's doing for laughs.
11. If a person or their comment gets a laugh or raises a laugh, they make the people listening to them laugh. The joke got a big laugh, which encouraged me to continue.
12. If you describe a situation as a laugh, a good laugh, or a bit of a laugh, you think that it is fun and do not take it too seriously. Working there's great. It's quite a good laugh actually.
13. If you describe someone as a laugh or a good laugh, you like them because they are amusing and fun to be with. Mickey was a good laugh and great to have in the dressing room.
14. If you say that you have the last laugh, you mean that you become successful at something so that people who criticize or oppose you look foolish. Des O'Connor is expecting to have the last laugh on his critics by soaring to the top of the Christmas hit parade.
15. to laugh your head off: see:
head no laughing matter: see matter.