Contents
English
Etymology
Old English hleahtor, from Proto-Germanic *hlahtroz. Cognate with German lachen, Dutch (ge)lach(en), Icelandic hlátur, Danish latter.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA: /ˈlɑːftə/, SAMPA: /"lA:ft@/
- (US) enPR: lăfʹtər, IPA: /ˈlæftɚ/, SAMPA: /"l{ft@`/
- Audio (US)help, file
- Rhymes: -ɑːftə(r)
Noun
Wikipedia has an article on: Laughter|
Singular laughter |
Plural usually uncountable; plural laughters |
laughter (usually uncountable; plural laughters)
- The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound.
- Their loud laughter betrayed their presence
- A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the laughing face, particularly of the lips, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs.
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- The act of laughter, which is a sweet contraction of the muscles of the face, and a pleasant agitation of the vocal organs, is not merely, or totally within the jurisdiction of ourselves. - Sir Thomas Browne
- Archly the maiden smiled, and with eyes overrunning with laughter - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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- (archaic) A reason for merriment
- (Can we verify() this sense?) (slang) A decidedly one-sided sports contest, especially where the winning team is able to score at will.
- The final score of the football game was 70-0; what a laughter it was.
Related terms
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