have the last laugh

H h

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [hav stressed th ee last, lahst laf, lahf]
- /hæv stressed ði læst, lɑst læf, lɑf/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [hav stressed th ee last, lahst laf, lahf]
- /hæv stressed ði læst, lɑst læf, lɑf/

Definitions of have the last laugh words

verb without object have the last laugh to express mirth, pleasure, derision, or nervousness with an audible, vocal expulsion of air from the lungs that can range from a loud burst of sound to a series of quiet chuckles and is usually accompanied by characteristic facial and bodily movements. 1
verb without object have the last laugh to experience the emotion so expressed: He laughed inwardly at the scene. 1
verb without object have the last laugh to produce a sound resembling human laughter: A coyote laughed in the dark. 1
verb with object have the last laugh to drive, put, bring, etc., by or with laughter (often followed by out, away, down, etc.): They laughed him out of town. We laughed away our troubles. 1
verb with object have the last laugh to utter with laughter: He laughed his consent. 1
noun have the last laugh the act or sound of laughing; laughter. 1

before 900

One of the 4% oldest English words

before 900; Middle English laughen, Old English hlæh(h)an (Anglian); cognate with Dutch, German lachen, Old Norse hlǣja, Gothic hlahjan

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

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