laugh

laugh
    n 1: the sound of laughing [syn: {laugh}, {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 intended to provoke laughter;
       "he told a very funny joke"; "he knows a million gags";
       "thanks for the laugh"; "he laughed unpleasantly at his own
       jest"; "even a schoolboy's jape is supposed to have some
       ascertainable point" [syn: {joke}, {gag}, {laugh}, {jest},
       {jape}]
    v 1: produce laughter [syn: {laugh}, {express joy}, {express
         mirth}] [ant: {cry}, {weep}]
    

Laugh \Laugh\ (l[aum]f), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Laughed}
   (l[aum]ft); 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[=e]n, Icel. hl[ae]ja,W 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.
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            Queen Hecuba laughed that her eyes ran o'er. --Shak.
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            He laugheth that winneth.             --Heywood's
                                                  Prov.
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   2. Fig.: To be or appear gay, cheerful, pleasant, mirthful,
      lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
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            Then laughs the childish year, with flowerets
            crowned.                              --Dryden.
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            In Folly's cup still laughs the bubble Joy. --Pope.
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   {To laugh at}, to make an object of laughter or ridicule; to
      make fun of; to deride.
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            No wit to flatter left of all his store,
            No fool to laugh at, which he valued more. --Pope.
      

   {To laugh in the sleeve}, {To laugh up one's sleeve}, to
      laugh secretly, or so as not to be observed, especially
      while apparently preserving a grave or serious demeanor
      toward the person or persons laughed at.

   {To laugh out}, to laugh in spite of some restraining
      influence; to laugh aloud.

   {To laugh out of the other corner of the mouth} or {To laugh
   out of the other side of the mouth}, to weep or cry; to feel
      regret, vexation, or disappointment after hilarity or
      exaltation. [Slang]
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Laugh \Laugh\, n.
   An expression of mirth peculiar to the human species; the
   sound heard in laughing; laughter. See {Laugh}, v. i.
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         And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
                                                  --Goldsmith.
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         That man is a bad man who has not within him the power
         of a hearty laugh.                       --F. W.
                                                  Robertson.
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Laugh \Laugh\, v. t.
   1. To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
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            Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?
                                                  --Shak.
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            I shall laugh myself to death.        --Shak.
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   2. To express by, or utter with, laughter; -- with out.
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            From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause.
                                                  --Shak.
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   {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.
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148 Moby Thesaurus words for "laugh":
      Homeric laughter, be in heaven, be in stitches, be pleased, beam,
      belittle, belly laugh, blue story, boff, boffola, break up,
      brush aside, burst into laughter, burst of laughter, burst out,
      burst out laughing, burst with laughter, bust a gut, cachinnate,
      cachinnation, cackle, caper, caracole, chirp, chirrup, chortle,
      chuckle, convulsion, crack up, crow, dance, delight, deny, deride,
      die with delight, dirty joke, dirty story, dismiss, disregard,
      double entendre, ethnic joke, feel happy, fit of laughter, frolic,
      fun, funny story, gag, gales of laughter, gambol, giggle, glow,
      go into convulsions, go into hysterics, go into raptures, good one,
      good story, grin, guffaw, ha-ha, hearty laugh, hee-haw, hee-hee,
      hilarity, ho-ho, hoot, horselaugh, howler, ignore, jape, jeer at,
      jest, jestbook, joke, joy, lampoon, laugh at, laugh it up,
      laugh outright, laughing, laughter, lilt, minimize,
      nearly die laughing, outburst of laughter, panic, parody, pasquil,
      pasquinade, peal of laughter, play, point, poke fun at, pooh-pooh,
      purr, radiate cheer, reject, rib tickler, ridicule, riot,
      risibility, roar, roar of laughter, roar with laughter, roast,
      romp, satirize, scoff at, scorn, scream, shake like jelly,
      shake with laughter, shout, shout of laughter, shriek, shrug off,
      sick joke, sidesplitter, sight gag, simper, sing, skip, smile,
      smirk, snicker, snigger, sniggle, snort, sparkle, split,
      split with laughter, sport, spurn, story, take great satisfaction,
      taunt, tease, tee-hee, titter, tread on air, visual joke, wheeze,
      whistle, whoop, wide berth, wow, yarn, yuck, yuk-yuk