laughen

Verb

laugh (third-person singular simple present laughs, present participle laughing, simple past and past participle laughed)

1. (intransitive) 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.
   • There were many laughing children running on the school grounds.

   Synonyms:

   cackle, chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, snigger, titter

2. (figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) To be or appear cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
   • The green ſtem grows in ſtature and in ſize, / But only feeds with hope the farmer's eyes; / Then laughs the childiſh year with flow'rets crowned, / And laviſhly prefumes the fields around, / But no ſubſtantial nouriſhment receives, / Infirm the ſtalks, unſolid are the leaves.a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “Of the Pythagorean Philosophy. From the Fifteenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob]...
3. (intransitive) To make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of; to deride; to mock.
   • Don't laugh at my new hat, man!
4. (transitive) To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
   • Will you laugh me aſleepe, for I am very heauy.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
5. (transitive) To express by, or utter with, laughter.
   • From his deepe cheſt laughes out a lowd applauſe, [...]c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609...

See all 8 meanings of laugh