From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcoughcough1 /kɒf $ kɒːf/ ●●● S3 W3 verb [intransitive] 1 HBHto suddenly push air out of your throat with a short sound, often repeatedly Matthew coughed and cleared his throat. I think I’m getting a cold or flu – I’ve been coughing and sneezing all day.2 SOUNDto make a sudden sound like someone coughing The engine coughed and spluttered, then stopped altogether. → cough up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
cough• Hugh seemed too weary to cough.• Is the pain worsened by straining or coughing?• The patient may need assistance to cough.• I've been coughing and sneezing all day.• The old car coughed and sputtered before starting.• Then he simply extends the arrow to full length once more while appearing to cough the whole thing up again.• She heard him catch at air, and cough up the last slime of the river.• In the morning, Belle had a temperature and by night, she was coughing without stopping.coughcough2 ●●● S3 W3 noun [countable] 1 MIa medical condition that makes you cough a lot He's got a bad cough. Symptoms include a sore throat and a nasty cough. cough medicine2 [countable]HBH the action or sound made when you cough Stuart gave an embarrassed cough.COLLOCATIONSverbshave (got) a coughI’ve had a cough for weeks now.get/catch a coughA lot of people get coughs at this time of year.adjectivesa bad coughJason’s at home with a bad cough.a nasty/violent cough (=a very bad cough)a smoker's cough (=one caused by smoking)a dry cough (=one that does not produce any liquid)a loose cough (=one that produces liquid)a chesty cough British English (=one that affects your chest)a hacking cough (=a bad cough with an unpleasant sound)a slight cough (=one that is not very serious)He has a slight cough but I don’t think he’s really ill.a tickly cough (=one that keeps irritating your throat)a persistent cough (=one that is difficult to cure)cough + NOUNcough medicine/cough mixture/cough syrup (=liquid containing medicine for a cough)You should take some cough medicine.a cough drop (also a cough sweet British English) (=a sweet you suck to make a cough less irritating)He was sucking on a cough sweet. Examples from the Corpus
cough• I find honey is the best thing for a cough.• The juggernaut started with a cough and splutter, was thrown into gear and began to move off down the narrow road.• Four months after the show opened in October 1995, she missed 10 performances because of a sore throat and cough.• Disease can be spread by coughs.• He was about to kiss her again when he heard a discreet cough.• Then a little move, a little cough, made you aware of his presence.• Rye whiskey, mixed with rock-sugar syrup, remained a popular cough remedy into the early twentieth century.• Ms. Meyers has this hacking smoker's cough.• That cough of hers worries me; she's had it for weeks.gave ... cough• The chauffeur gave a discreet cough.• At length, he gave a little cough.• And there were other things; saliva drooled from her lips and every few seconds she gave a retching cough.• They gave him cough syrup and blankets.From Longman Business Dictionarycoughcough /kɒfkɒːf/ verb → cough something → up→ See Verb tableOrigin cough1 (1300-1400) From an unrecorded Old English cohhian 