laugh
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Related to laugh: laugh track
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a laugh
1. An instance of laughter. Once I got a laugh from the audience, I started to feel more relaxed about giving my presentation. I need a laugh after the tough week I've had. Any funny TV shows you can recommend? Tom is pretty much the court jester in our office. You can always count on him for a laugh.
2. An instance of lighthearted amusement or mirth. Ah, don't be upset, we were only having a laugh! This show is always good for a laugh, so I put it on whenever I'm feeling down. I sang karaoke just for a laugh—I never expected to get a round of applause!
3. A fun or enjoyable experience. Come with us to the party tonight. I'm sure it will be a laugh. I love hanging out with my old schooltime friends—we always have a laugh when we get together. How can you have a laugh when you know those jerks are going to be there?
4. Something absurdly inadequate, defective, or idiotic. Their customer service is a total laugh. I was on the phone for nearly two hours just to be told that they couldn't identify the problem and wouldn't help me any further. I hated every minute of my stay there, so the 10% service charge they added automatically to my bill was quite a laugh. Well, that's a real laugh—I spent nearly $800 on this phone, and it stopped working after just a month!
See also: laugh
laugh in (one's) sleeve
To rejoice or be amused secretly and contemptuously, as at another's mistakes or misfortunes. Though feigning sympathy, my colleagues are all laughing in their sleeves at me for being stood up at the altar by my fiancée. I know it's mean-spirited, but I can't help but laugh in my sleeve when I see someone slip on the icy streets.
laugh up (one's) sleeve
1. To try to hide that one is laughing at someone else. Ron may seem like a nice guy, but he laughs up his sleeve whenever he's around someone he dislikes. The popular kids laugh up their sleeves every time I walk by—it's so infuriating.
2. To rejoice or be amused secretly and contemptuously, as at another's mistakes or misfortunes. Though they are feigning sympathy, I'm sure my colleagues are all laughing up their sleeves at me for being chewed out by the boss. I know it is mean spirited, but I cannot help but laugh up my sleeve when I see someone slip on the icy streets.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
laugh
up/in (one's) sleeve To rejoice or exult in secret, as at another's error or defeat.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
- a barrel of laughs
- a barrel/bundle of laughs
- a laugh
- a laugh a minute
- a laughing stock
- Are you having a laugh?
- barrel of laughs
- be a barrel of laughs
- be a bundle of laughs
- be a laugh a minute
- be a laugh riot
- be laughed out of court
- be laughing
- be laughing (one's) head off
- be laughing all the way to the bank
- be laughing on the other side of (one's) face
- be laughing on the other side of your face
- be laughing out of the other side of (one's) mouth
- be laughing up (one's) sleeve
- be laughing up your sleeve
- be laughing your head off
- be no barrel of laughs
- be no laughing matter
- belly laugh
- bundle of laughs
- burst into
- burst out laughing
- bust a gut
- bust out laughing
- cheap laugh
- cried all the way to the bank, he/she
- dead wid laugh
- die laughing
- don't make me laugh
- Don't make me laugh!
- drink (oneself) silly
- drink, laugh, shout, etc. yourself silly
- enough to make a cat laugh
- fall about laughing
- fall about the place (laughing)
- for a laugh
- for giggles
- for kicks
- for kicks and for laughs; for giggles
- for laughs
- force a laugh
- get a laugh
- get laughed out of the room
- get the last laugh
- get the last laugh on (someone)
- good for a laugh
- have (someone) laughing in the aisles
- have a good laugh
- have a good laugh about (something)
- have a laugh
- have the last laugh
- have the last laugh on (someone)
- he laughs best who laughs last
- he laughs longest who laughs last
- he laughs loudest who laughs last
- he who laughs last laughs longest
- he who laughs last, laughs best
- he who laughs last, laughs hardest
- he who laughs last, laughs longest
- he who laughs last, laughs loudest
- horse laugh
- it's to laugh
- kill (oneself) laughing
- kill yourself laughing
- last laugh
- last laugh, have the
- last laugh, to have the
- laugh
- laugh (one) off the stage
- laugh (one) out of the room
- laugh (one's) head off
- laugh (oneself) sick
- laugh (oneself) silly
- laugh (someone or something) out of court
- laugh (someone or something) to scorn
- laugh a minute
- laugh about
- laugh about (something)
- laugh all the way to the bank
- laugh and grow fat
- laugh and the (whole) world laughs with you(; weep and you weep alone)
- laugh and the world laughs with you
- Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone
- laugh at
- laugh at (someone or something)
- laugh at the carpet
- laugh away
- laugh away at
- laugh down
- laugh head off
- laugh in (one's) face
- laugh in (one's) sleeve
- laugh in face
- laugh in somebody's face
- laugh in someone's face
- laugh it up
- laugh like a drain
- laugh like a hyena
- laugh off
- laugh off the stage
- laugh on the other side of (one's) face
- laugh on the other side of (one's) mouth
- laugh on the other side of your face
- laugh oneself out of
- laugh oneself silly
- laugh or cry, don't know whether to
- laugh out (of) the other side of (one's) face
- laugh out (of) the other side of (one's) mouth
- laugh out loud
- laugh out of
- laugh out of court
- laugh out of court, to
- laugh out of the other side of face and laugh out of the other ...
- laugh out of the other side of mouth
- laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
- laugh out of the other side of your face/mouth, you'll/to
- laugh riot
- laugh somebody/something out of court
- laugh someone or something out of court
- laugh someone or something to scorn
- laugh till you cry
- laugh until you cry
- laugh up (one's) sleeve
- laugh up one's sleeve
- laugh up one's sleeve, to
- laugh up sleeve
- laugh up your sleeve
- laugh with
- laugh with (one)
- laugh with (something)
- laugh your head off
- laugh yourself silly
- laughing academy
- laughing in the aisles
- laughing matter
- laughing soup
- laughing stock
- laughing water
- liquid laugh
- make (someone, something, or oneself) a laughingstock
- make a laughingstock of (someone, something, or oneself)
- make a play for
- man plans and God laughs
- no joke
- no laughing matter
- not be a barrel of laughs
- not know whether to laugh or (to) cry
- not know whether to laugh or cry
- piss (oneself) laughing
- play for
- play for laughs
- play something for laughs
- raise a laugh
- raise a laugh/smile
- raise a smile
- rolling on the floor laughing
- shout (oneself) silly
- split one's sides
- split one's sides, to
- that's so funny I forgot to laugh
- the last laugh
- the last laugh on (someone)
- the laugh is on (one)
- the laugh is on me
- you have (got) to laugh
- you have to laugh
- you make me laugh
- You make me laugh!
- yourself silly