From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgigglegig‧gle1 /ˈɡɪɡəl/ ●○○ (giggled, giggling) verb [intransitive] LAUGHto laugh quickly, quietly, and in a high voice, because something is funny or because you are nervous or embarrassed If you can’t stop giggling you’ll have to leave the room.► see thesaurus at laugh→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
giggle• But Lesley-Jane certainly did, and she started to giggle.• Will the handsome minister save you? they giggled.• What are you two girls giggling about?• And Maggie had giggled and had indeed been comforted.• She giggled and pouted as he chatted to her.• Linda and Christina were giggling at some private joke.• She giggled nervously and went bright pink.• He was giggling with pleasure and could not get the words out at first.gigglegiggle2 ●○○ noun 1 [countable]LAUGH a quick, quiet, high-sounding laugh ‘Catch me if you can, ’ she said with a giggle. Vicky suppressed a nervous giggle. He looked so ridiculous I got the giggles (=started to giggle). Soon the whole group had the giggles. Margaret was seized by a fit of the giggles (=she could not stop giggling).give somebody the giggles (=make someone start giggling)2 → a giggleCOLLOCATIONSverbsget the giggles (=start to giggle)Now every time he looks at me I get the giggles.have the giggles (=laugh in a way that is difficult to control)The girls had the giggles, and couldn’t stop laughing.give a giggle (=to laugh)She gave a little giggle.give somebody the giggles (=make someone laugh)The way he was waving his arms around gave us the giggles.stifle/suppress a giggle (=try to not laugh)Britta covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.collapse/dissolve into giggles (= start laughing a lot)Victor tickled the little boy, who dissolved into giggles.phrasesa fit of (the) giggles (=a short time when you laugh a lot in a way you cannot control)The boys collapsed in a fit of giggles.adjectivesa nervous giggleShe gave a nervous giggle before answering.a hysterical giggle (=that someone cannot control)The children were all in hysterical giggles.a high-pitched giggleThe young man gave a high-pitched giggle. Examples from the Corpus
giggle• It had something of a giggle to it.• Zen and Crystal put their hands on her tummy and giggle when they feel the baby moving.• A fourth, after asking if it were April the first, collapsed into giggles and hung up.• a nervous giggle• She collapsed in a fit of giggles.• There were a few smothered giggles from the girls sitting by the pool.• Wary sufferers will have learned to suffer silently lest they raise stifled giggles rather than sympathy.• I stuck one on my forehead for an afternoon, received a good many curious stares from colleagues, and got the giggles.• In the pew opposite Willie were two ginger-haired girls trying to smother their giggles.• The thought of him being ten years old made the children want to giggle but they bit the giggles back.nervous giggle• A few mouths dropped open and then there were a few nervous giggles.• A sob rose in his throat, blending with an incredulous, nervous giggle framed by his lips.Origin giggle1 (1500-1600) From the sound 