From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlaughterlaugh‧ter /ˈlɑːftə $ ˈlæftər/ ●●● W3 noun [uncountable] LAUGHwhen people laugh, or the sound of people laughing Foster joined in the laughter. He looked shocked, then burst into laughter (=started laughing).roar/scream/shriek with laughter (=laugh very loudly) Audiences roared with laughter. He shook with laughter.peals/gales/howls etc of laughter (=loud laughs) The comment brought peals of laughter from her classmates.COLLOCATIONSverbsburst into laughter (=suddenly start laughing)Flora burst into laughter when I told her the joke.roar with laughter (=laugh very noisily)The crowd roared with laughter.scream/shriek with laughter (=laugh very noisily and with a high voice)The children shrieked with laughter as they watched the clown.shake with laughterThey were shaking with laughter and couldn't even speak.meet/greet something with laughter (=react to something by laughing)Her remarks were greeted with mocking laughter.the laughter dies (down) (=stops)The laughter died instantly as Robert walked in.phrasespeals/hoots/gales of laughter (=a lot of loud laughter)This idea was greeted with hoots of laughter.a fit of laughter (=a period in which you laugh uncontrollably)Her funny stories had us in fits of laughter.a burst of laughter (=a short period of loud laughter)There was a loud burst of laughter behind me.adjectiveshysterical laughter (=laughter that is out of control because someone is very excited, nervous etc)She burst into hysterical laughter.helpless laughter (=that someone cannot control)The audience were in fits of helpless laughter.nervous laughter (=because someone is nervous and not sure how to react)Nervous laughter greeted her remarks.raucous laughter (=loud and rough-sounding)His attempt to explain was greeted with raucous laughter.suppressed laughter (=when someone tries not to laugh)He began to shake with suppressed laughter.
Examples from the Corpus
laughter• We could hear laughter coming from the next room.• There was a burst of laughter when he appeared.• Thelma gave a gurgle of laughter.• The show was a great success, and had the audience roaring with laughter.burst into laughter• Cassidy winked with his one eye and burst into laughter.• I found myself wandering round with a wry smile on my face and occasionally bursting into laughter at my own presumption.• She burst into laughter in the Sabbath dimness of the place.• Both of them said the word on the same downbeat, which made them burst into laughter at how hilarious they sounded.• Gorbachev looked shocked by my familiarity, then burst into laughter.• They burst into laughter and we piled once again into his car for another search.Origin laughter Old English hleahtor 