laugh / laf/ • v. [intr.] make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expressions of lively amusement and sometimes also of contempt or derision: she couldn't help laughing at his jokes he laughed out loud [with direct speech] she laughed, “Not a chance.” ∎  (laugh at) ridicule; scorn. ∎  (laugh something off) dismiss something embarrassing, unfortunate, or potentially serious by treating it in a lighthearted way or making a joke of it. ∎  (be laughing) inf. be in a fortunate or successful position: if next year's model is as successful, Ford will be laughing.• n. 1. an act of laughing: she gave a loud, silly laugh.2. (a laugh) inf. a thing that causes laughter or derision: that's a laugh, the idea of you cooking a meal! ∎  a person who is good fun or amusing company: I like Peter—he's a good laugh. ∎  a source of fun or amusement: she decided to play along with him for a laugh he knew his performance was good for a laugh.PHRASES: be laughing all the way to the bank inf. be making a great deal of money very easily.have the last laugh be finally vindicated, thus confounding earlier skepticism.laugh one's head off laugh heartily or uncontrollably.laugh in someone's face show open contempt for someone by laughing rudely at them in their presence: fig. vandals and muggers who laugh in the face of the law. the laugh is on me (or you, him, etc.) the tables are turned and now the other person is the one who appears ridiculous: all the critics had laughed at him—well, the laugh was on them now.a laugh a minute very funny: it's a laugh a minute when Lois gets together with her dad.laugh out of the other side of one's mouth be discomfited after feeling satisfaction or confidence about something: you'd be laughing out the other side of your mouth if we were sitting in jail right now.laugh someone/something out of court dismiss with contempt as being obviously ridiculous.laugh oneself silly (or sick) laugh uncontrollably or for a long time.laugh something to scorn dated ridicule something.laugh up one's sleeve be secretly or inwardly amused.no laughing matter something serious that should not be joked about: heavy snoring is no laughing matter.play something for laughs (of a performer) try to arouse laughter in an audience, esp. in inappropriate circumstances.