laugh oneself out of

laugh out of

1. To lose an opportunity because one was mocking or laughing derisively at someone or something else. In this usage, a reflexive pronoun is used between "laugh" and "out." He couldn't help by snicker at the interviewer's speech impediment, and in doing so laughed himself right out of a job. You think my new bicycle looks silly, do you? Well, you just laughed yourself out of an invitation to my birthday party.

2. To cause or pressure one to leave some place or position by mocking, ridiculing, or laughing at them derisively. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "laugh" and "out." When his invention broke down on stage, the audience laughed the poor guy out of the building. People are going to laugh her out of office when they find out about this.

See also: laugh, of, out

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

laugh oneself out of something

to lose out on something because one has made light of it or laughed at it. While you were howling with laughter about my hat, you laughed yourself out of a ride to town. The bus just pulled away. You laugh too much. You just laughed yourself out of a job.

See also: laugh, of, out

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.