Laughter
['lɑːftə] or ['læftɚ]
Definition
(noun.) the activity of laughing; the manifestation of joy or mirth or scorn; 'he enjoyed the laughter of the crowd'.
Editor: Terence--From WordNet
Definition
(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.
Typed by Denis
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. Laughing, laugh.
Edited by Lilian
Unserious Contents or Definition
n. An interior convulsion producing a distortion of the features and accompanied by inarticulate noises. It is infectious and though intermittent incurable. Liability to attacks of laughter is one of the characteristics distinguishing man from the animals— these being not only inaccessible to the provocation of his example but impregnable to the microbes having original jurisdiction in bestowal of the disease. Whether laughter could be imparted to animals by inoculation from the human patient is a question that has not been answered by experimentation. Dr. Meir Witchell holds that the infectious character of laughter is due to the instantaneous fermentation of sputa diffused in a spray. From this peculiarity he names the disorder Convulsio spargens.
Inputed by Brenda
Examples
- The Germans were doubled up with laughter, hearing his strange droll words, his droll phrases of dialect. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- But they could not really talk, because of the glassy ravel of women's excited, cold laughter and running voices. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- It seemed to me that he was making desperate efforts to restrain a convulsive attack of laughter. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- De Bracy was the first to break silence by an uncontrollable fit of laughter, wherein he was joined, though with more moderation, by the Templar. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- And then, from unseen lips, a cruel and mocking peal of laughter rang through the desolate place. Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Gods of Mars.
- The young girls of Nazareth still collect about it by the dozen and keep up a riotous laughter and sky-larking. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- He could hear laughter in the upper rooms. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- She answered it with a second laugh, and laughter well became her youth, her roses, her dimples, her bright eyes. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement, but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was joking. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
- He who sat near Raymond was telling a story, which convulsed the rest with laughter. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- The room rang with shouts of laughter. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- His blue, keen eyes were lit up with laughter, his ruddy face, with its sharp fair hair, was full of satisfaction, and glowing with life. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- He was quivering with silent laughter. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- Robert Jordan heard a quick, control-breaking sniff of laughter from the girl, Maria, who was standing behind him. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- Nor should our citizens be given to excess of laughter--'Such violent delights' are followed by a violent re-action. Plato. The Republic.
Checked by Delores