Hypertext Webster Gateway: "laugh"

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) 1.7 (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}]


Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup

Enter word here:
Exact Approx


dict.stokkie.net
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents; see the Webster Gateway FAQ, and also the Back-end/database links and credits.