guffaw

Etymology

Probably onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈfɔː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈfɔ/
• (AU/NZ) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈfoː/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː

Noun

guffaw (plural guffaws)

1. A boisterous laugh
   • 1847, Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights, Chapter II

     On opening the little door, two hairy monsters flew at my throat, bearing me down, and extinguishing the light; while a mingled guffaw from Heathcliff and Hareton put the copestone on my rage and humiliation.

   • 1906, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter XX, in Sir Nigel:

     He walked to the edge and they heard his hoarse guffaw of laughter as the arrows clanged and clattered against his impenetrable mail.

   • 1936, Robert E. Howard, chapter 15, in The Hour of the Dragon:

     He heaved up with a sulfurous curse, braced his legs and glared about him, with a burst of coarse guffaws in his ears and the reek of unwashed bodies in his nostrils.

Verb

guffaw (third-person singular simple present guffaws, present participle guffawing, simple past and past participle guffawed)

1. (intransitive) To laugh boisterously.
   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, chapter 15, in The Picture of Dorian Gray:

     He guffawed at his adversaries.

   • 1900, Stephen Crane, The Knife:

     Peter, on the contrary, threw back his head and guffawed thunderously.