| 释义 |
cough
I. \ˈkȯf also ˈkäf\ verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English coughen, from (assumed) Old English cohhian (of which cohhettan is a freq.); akin to Middle Dutch cochen to cough, Middle High German kūchen to breathe heavily, probably of imitative origin
intransitive verb
1. : to expel air from the lungs suddenly with an explosive noise usually in a series of efforts
2. : to make a noise like that of coughing: as
a. : to fire in a single short burst or series of separate bursts
< the machine gun coughed once >
b. of an engine : to go through an operation cycle without continuous firing
< the engine began to cough on the hill >
transitive verb
1. : to expel by coughing — used with up or out
< cough up mucus >
2. : disclose — used with up or out
< cough up all he knows >
II. noun
(-s)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English coughe, from coughen, v.
1. : a condition marked by repeated coughing : an ailment manifesting itself by frequent coughing
< he has a bad cough >
2. : an explosive expulsion of air from the lungs acting as a protective mechanism to clear the air passages or as a symptom of pulmonary disturbance
3. : a single burst of firing : a single firing or irregular bursts of firing in the cylinders of a motor |