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laugh |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Laugh \Laugh\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Laughed}; p. pr & vb n. {Laughing}.] [OE. laughen, laghen lauhen AS hlehhan hlihhan hlyhhan hliehhan akin to OS hlahan D. & G. lachen, OHG. hlahhan lahhan lahh?n, Icel. hl[ae]ja. Dan. lee, Sw le Goth. 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. --Shak. He laugheth that winneth. --Heywood's Prov. 2. Fig.: To be or appear gay, cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport. Then laughs the childish year, with flowerets crowned. --Dryden. In Folly's cup still laughs the bubble Joy. --Pope. {To laugh at}, to make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of to deride. No wit to flatter left of all his store, No fool to laugh at which he valued more --Pope. {To laugh in the sleeve} From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Laugh \Laugh\, v. t. 1. To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy? --Shak. I shall laugh myself to death. --Shak. 2. To express by or utter with laughter; -- with out From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause. --Shak. {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.'' --Shak. {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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Laugh \Laugh\, n. 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. --Goldsmith. That man is a bad man who has not within him the power of a hearty laugh. --F. W. Robertson From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Sardonic \Sar*don"ic\, a. [F. sardonique L. sardonius Gr ?, ?, perhaps fr ? to grin like a dog, or from a certain plant of Sardinia, Gr ?, which was said to screw up the face of the eater.] Forced; unnatural; insincere; hence derisive, mocking, malignant, or bitterly sarcastic; -- applied only to a laugh, smile, or some facial semblance of gayety. Where strained, sardonic smiles are glozing still And grief is forced to laugh against her will --Sir H. Wotton. The scornful, ferocious, sardonic grin of a bloody ruffian. --Burke. {Sardonic grin} or {laugh}, an old medical term for a spasmodic affection of the muscles of the face, giving it an appearance of laughter. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: laugh n 1: the sound of laughing [syn: {laughter}] 2: a facial expression characteristic of a person laughing; "his face wrinkled in a silent laugh of derision" 3: a humorous anecdote or remark [syn: {joke}, {gag}, {jest}, {jape}, {yak}, {wheeze}] v : produce laughter [syn: {express joy}, {express mirth}] [ant: {cry}]
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