/kɒf; [US] kɔ:f; kɔf/
v
1 [I] send out air from the lungs violently and noisily, esp to clear one's throat or when one has a cold, etc 咳嗽
*She was coughing (away) all night. 她咳了一整夜.
* (fig 比喻) The engine coughed and spluttered into life, ie started noisily. 这发动机起动时喀喀作响.
2 [Tn, Tn.p] ~ sth (up) get sth out of the throat or lungs by coughing 咳出某物
*He'd been coughing up blood. 他那时一直在咳血.
3 (phr v) cough (sth) up (Brit infml 口) say or produce sth reluctantly 勉强说出某话; 不情愿地提供某物
*He owes us money, but he won't cough (it) up. 他欠我们钱, 却不愿还帐.
* Come on, cough up
*who did it? 好了, 说出来, 是谁干的?

n
1 [C] act or sound of coughing 咳嗽; 咳嗽声
*She gave a quiet cough to attract my attention. 她轻轻地咳了一声好引起我注意.
2 [sing] illness, infection, etc that causes a person to cough often 咳嗽
*have a bad cough 咳嗽得很厉害
* [attrib 作定语] `cough medicine, mixture, etc, ie taken to relieve a cough 止咳的药、合剂等.