Laugh

Laugh, läf, v.i. to express mirth or joy by an explosive inarticulate sound of the voice and peculiar facial distortion: to be gay or lively: make merry (with at), to flout.—v.t. to express with a laugh: to affect in some way by laughter.—n. the sound caused by merriment.—adj. Laugh′able, ludicrous.—n. Laugh′ableness.—adv. Laugh′ably.—ns. Laugh′er; Laugh′ing-gas, a gas which excites laughter, called nitrous oxide, used as an anæsthetic in minor surgical operations, as in dentistry; Laugh′ing-jack′ass, the great kingfisher of Australia.—adv. Laugh′ingly, in a laughing manner.—ns. Laugh′ing-stock, an object of ridicule, like something stuck up to be laughed at; Laugh′ter, act or noise of laughing.—Laugh a thing off, to treat as if worthy only of a laugh; Laugh in one's sleeve, to laugh inwardly; Laugh one out of, to make a person abandon a habit, &c., by laughing at him for it; Laugh on the wrong side of the mouth, to be made feel disappointment or sorrow, esp. after boasting, &c.; Laugh to scorn, to deride or jeer at.—Have the laugh on one's side, to be able to laugh at another through getting the better of him by superior dexterity, &c. [A.S. hlihan; Ger. lachen, Goth. hlahjan; prob. imit.]