A sudden, often involuntary expulsion of air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound), and out through the mouth.

A bout of repeated coughing (verb sense 2.1); also, a medical condition that causes one to cough.

(figuratively) A noise or sound like a cough (sense 1).

Force air from the lungs through the glottis, causing a short, explosive sound, typically done to clear the throat or express words, and can also refer to confessing or surrendering something.

Expel air from the lungs through the glottis to clear the airway, make a coughing sound, or informally confess or reveal information.

Used to represent the sound of a cough (noun sense 1), especially when focusing attention on a following utterance, often an attribution of blame or a euphemism: ahem.