Idioms

cough

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cough (one's) head off

To cough intensely, as from an illness. Natalie has still been coughing her head off, so I don't think the antibiotic you gave her has helped. Have you heard Billy coughing his head off for the past few days? I think we need to take him to the doctor. Sorry I've been coughing my head off all day—the pollen really seems to have aggravated my allergies.
See also: cough, head, off

cough it up

slang To give something to someone, often after a period of evasion. Often used as an imperative. If you owe Joey money, his thugs will eventually make you cough it up. Cough it up—show us what you're looking at! Cough it up right now, every last cent. Otherwise, you won't live to see tomorrow!
See also: cough, up

cough out

To speak while coughing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "out." Although she tried to cough out her presentation, she ultimately had to stop and drink a glass of water. The old man attempted to cough out the location of the treasure before he keeled over, but we couldn't make out what he was saying. After something in the air started irritating my throat, I had to cough out the rest of my speech.
See also: cough, out

cough up

1. To expel something through coughing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "up." While I was sick, I found myself constantly coughing up phlegm. The child was able to cough up the bit of food he was choking on, thank goodness. OK, I think it's time to go to the ER—I just coughed up blood.
2. To vomit. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "up." When I had food poisoning, I felt like I coughed up everything I'd ever eaten in my life. Oh man, I felt like I was going to cough up my breakfast out on that boat—I was so seasick! Have you coughed up everything you've attempted to eat today? OK, then let's call the doctor.
3. slang To divulge something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "up." I'm sure he'll cough up the name of his accomplice once we send in our toughest investigator. Cough it up—show us what you're looking at! You better cough up the address where the deal is going down—or else!
4. slang To give something to someone, often after a period of evasion. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "up." Joey's thugs cornered me and made me cough up the money I owed them. There wasn't even that much pressure on him when he coughed up the basketball! Cough it up, geek. That's right, we want your lunch money.
5. slang To surrender the lead in a game or competition. A noun or pronoun can be used between "cough" and "up." With their shaky defense, I wouldn't be surprised if they coughed up this 10-point lead. Yeesh, they deserved to lose if they coughed up a five goal lead. Coach is furious that we coughed up the lead and then lost in the last few seconds of the game.
See also: cough, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

cough one's head off

Fig. to cough long and hard. (See also laugh one's head off.) I had the flu. I nearly coughed my head off for two days.
See also: cough, head, off

cough something out

to say something while coughing. He coughed the words out, but no one could understand him. He coughed out the name of his assailant.
See also: cough, out

cough something up

 
1. to get something out of the body by coughing. She coughed some matter up and took some more medicine. She coughed up phlegm all night.
2. Euph. to vomit something. The dog coughed the rabbit up. The dog coughed up the food it had eaten.
3. Sl. to produce or present something, such as an amount of money. You will cough the money up, won't you? You had better cough up what you owe me, if you know what's good for you.
See also: cough, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

cough up

1. Hand over or relinquish, especially money; pay up. For example, It's time the delinquent members coughed up their dues. [Slang; late 1800s]
2. Confess or divulge, as in Pretty soon she'd cough up the whole story about last night. This idiom transfers the act of vomiting to telling the entire truth. [Slang; late 1800s]
See also: cough, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cough up

v.
1. To force something from the throat or lungs and out of the mouth by coughing: After years of smoking, he started coughing up blood. The medicine loosened the phlegm so she could cough it up.
2. Slang To pay or hand over something, as money, often reluctantly: Cough up the money or you're going to jail. I know you're short on the rent money, but you'll have to cough it up.
3. Slang To confess or disclose something: When the police arrived, we coughed up the details of the incident. When the lawyers threatened me for not disclosing the tax returns, I coughed them up.
See also: cough, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cough it up!

tv. to give something—typically money—to someone, especially if done unwillingly. You owe me twenty bucks. Cough it up!
See also: cough

cough something up

tv. to produce something (which someone has requested), usually money. Cough up what you owe me!
See also: cough, something, up
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
No universally accepted bedside tools exist for screening of effective cough function (Silverman et al., 2016).
Assessment of airway defenses in the neurologically impaired patient
Pavord, "Cough frequency, cough sensitivity and health status in patients with chronic cough," Respiratory Medicine, vol.
Theory and Application of Audio-Based Assessment of Cough
Kennel cough can be caused by a range of different infections, some viral and some bacterial.
Watch out for kennel cough
Results: Eight patients (25%) in Group C had fentanyl induced cough whereas three patients (7.5%) in Group L and one patient (2.5%) in Group F experienced this phenomenon.
Pheniramine Maleate is more effective than Lidocaine on Fentanyl Induced Cough
The first symptoms of the condition are usually a mild irritating cough, sore throat and cold-like symptoms.
How to spot the signs of whooping cough; Jodie Williamson, community pharmacist and membership development and communications manager for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Wales, looks at whooping cough
Pitas Cough Troche is the second item under the Pitas brand, which uses the same film-type features and contains active ingredients effective for suppressing and reducing cough and phlegm.
Taiho Pharmaceutical Releases Second Product under the Pitas Brand Pitas Cough Troche for Coughs and Phlegm, a Sticker-type Troche Helpful in Business Meetings
Approximately 65 patients with refractory chronic cough are expected to be enrolled at twelve clinical sites in the United Kingdom and United States.
First Patient Enrolled in Phase 2 Study of BLU-5937 for the Treatment of Refractory Chronic Cough and Pursuit of Second Indication in Chronic Pruritus
By causing the pelvic floor muscles to relax momentarily, a cough can cause urine to leak through the urethra and out of the body.
I Leak Urine When I Cough
The first step to dealing with a cough is to work out the type you have.
How to cope with a cough; If the winter bugs are getting you down, here's how to manage your symptoms to get well quick
In adult outpatients with acute cough, the clinical signs of pneumonia include cough, dyspnea, pleural pain, sweating/fevers/shivers, aches and pains, temperature greater than or equal to 38[degrees]C, tachypnea, and new and localizing chest examination signs.
Cough diagnosis guidelines issued for flu, pertussis
We are rapidly approaching the beginning of January, which is peak cough season.
Six ways to manage your cough politely - Experts
If your child's cough sounds like any of the below, seek a GP assessment.
COUGHS AND KIDS
After a week with a dry cough, 16-year-old Ian McCracken started experiencing middle-of-the-night coughing fits so severe, he couldn't talk.
Why whooping cough is making a comeback
[U.S.A.], May 03 (ANI): Turns out, whooping cough more widespread than previously known.
Why whooping cough needs urgent attention?
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