laugh somebody/something out of court

laugh (someone or something) out of court

To reject an idea or situation as outrageous or absurd. Despite the phrasing, this expression does not usually refer to an actual legal case. Does this idea sound crazy? Will the board just laugh me out of court?

See also: court, laugh, of, out

laugh something out of court

to dismiss something presented in earnest as ridiculous. The committee laughed the suggestion out of court. Bob's request for a large salary increase was laughed out of court.

See also: court, laugh, of, out

laugh out of court

Dismiss with ridicule or scorn, as in When he told them the old car could be repaired, they laughed him out of court. This expression, which originally referred to a case so laughable or trivial that a court of law would dismiss it, originated in ancient Roman times but has been used in English, without its former legal significance, since the late 1800s.

See also: court, laugh, of, out

laugh somebody/something out of ˈcourt

(British English, informal) refuse, in an unpleasant way, to consider somebody’s suggestion, opinion, etc. seriously because you think it’s stupid: When she suggested trying the new treatment, they laughed her out of court.

See also: court, laugh, of, out, somebody, something