A sudden, usually noisy expulsion of air from the lungs, often involuntary.
"The loud cough startled everyone in the quiet library."
In plain English: A cough is an involuntary sound and movement where your body tries to clear something out of your throat or lungs.
"He tried to hide his cough during the meeting."
To push air from the lungs in a quick, noisy explosion.
"The sudden cough expelled dust from his throat in a sharp, rattling burst."
In plain English: To cough is to suddenly push air out of your lungs with a loud noise when something irritates your throat.
"She had to stop talking because she started to cough from the cold air."
Usage: Use this verb to describe the physical act of clearing your throat or expelling air suddenly and noisily due to irritation. It is distinct from "sneeze," which involves forcing air out through the nose rather than the mouth.
The word "cough" comes from Middle English and originally meant both to cough and to vomit. It is believed to be an onomatopoeic word imitating the sound of the action itself.