n. An expression of mirth peculiar to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter. See Laugh, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

That man is a bad man who has not within him the power of a hearty laugh. F. W. Robertson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Laughed p. pr. & vb. n. Laughing. ] [ OE. laughen, laghen, lauhen, AS. hlehhan, hlihhan, hlyhhan, hliehhan; akin to OS. hlahan, D. & G. lachen, OHG. hlahhan, lahhan, lahhēn, Icel. hlæja, W Dan. lee, Sw. le, Goth. hlahjan; perh. of imitative origin. ] 1. To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge in laughter. [ 1913 Webster ]

Queen Hecuba laughed that her eyes ran o'er. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

He laugheth that winneth. Heywood's Prov. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: To be or appear gay, cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then laughs the childish year, with flowerets crowned. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

In Folly's cup still laughs the bubble Joy. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

To laugh at, to make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of; to deride. [ 1913 Webster ] No wit to flatter left of all his store,
No fool to laugh at, which he valued more. Pope. --
To laugh in the sleeve,
To laugh up one's sleeve, to laugh secretly, or so as not to be observed, especially while apparently preserving a grave or serious demeanor toward the person or persons laughed at. --
To laugh out, to laugh in spite of some restraining influence; to laugh aloud. --
To laugh out of the other corner of the mouth or
To laugh out of the other side of the mouth, to weep or cry; to feel regret, vexation, or disappointment after hilarity or exaltation. [ Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule. [ 1913 Webster ]

Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I shall laugh myself to death. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To express by, or utter with, laughter; -- with out. [ 1913 Webster ]

From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To laugh away. (a) To drive away by laughter; as, to laugh away regret. (b) To waste in hilarity. “Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.” Shak. --
To laugh down. (a) To cause to cease or desist by laughter; as, to laugh down a speaker. (b) To cause to be given up on account of ridicule; as, to laugh down a reform. --
To laugh one out of, to cause one by laughter or ridicule to abandon or give up; as, to laugh one out of a plan or purpose. --
To laugh to scorn, to deride; to treat with mockery, contempt, and scorn; to despise. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Fitted to excite laughter; as, a laughable story; a laughable scene. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Droll; ludicrous; mirthful; comical. See Droll, and Ludicrous. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Laugh"a*ble*ness, n. -- Laugh"a*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who laughs. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A variety of the domestic pigeon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A contest in which one side wins easily; a lopsided victory. [ Informal ] [ PJC ]

4. A blatantly false statement, especially a self-serving one. [ Slang ] [ PJC ]

a. & n. from Laugh, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

Laughing falcon (Zool.), a South American hawk (Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. --
Laughing gas (Chem.), nitrous oxide, also called hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; -- so called from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes produces when inhaled. It has been much used as an anaesthetic agent, though now its use is primarily in dentistry --
Laughing goose (Zool.), the European white-fronted goose. --
Laughing gull. (Zool.) (a) A common European gull (Xema ridibundus); -- called also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea crow. (b) An American gull (Larus atricilla). In summer the head is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer primaries black. --
Laughing hyena (Zool.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena. --
Laughing jackass (Zool.), the great brown kingfisher (Dacelo gigas), of Australia; -- called also giant kingfisher, and gogobera. --
Laughing owl (Zool.), a peculiar owl (Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of extinction. The name alludes to its notes. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With laughter or merriment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An object of ridicule; a butt of sport. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

When he talked, he talked nonsense, and made himself the laughingstock of his hearers. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Exciting laughter; also, addicted to laughter; merry. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. hleahtor; akin to OHG. hlahtar, G. gelächter, Icel. hlātr, Dan. latter. See Laugh, v. i. ] A movement (usually involuntary) of the muscles of the face, particularly of the lips, with a peculiar expression of the eyes, indicating merriment, satisfaction, or derision, and usually attended by a sonorous and interrupted expulsion of air from the lungs. See Laugh, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

The act of laughter, which is a sweet contraction of the muscles of the face, and a pleasant agitation of the vocal organs, is not merely, or totally within the jurisdiction of ourselves. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

Archly the maiden smiled, and with eyes overrunning with laughter. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]