cough up

verb

coughed up; coughing up; coughs up

transitive verb

1
: hand over, deliver
cough up the money
2
: to lose possession of (a ball or puck) during a game
the quarterback coughed up the ball

Examples of cough up in a Sentence

finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Violators now have to cough up $77.50 — $65 for the ticket and $12.50 in administrative fees. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025 Some hope that the talk of a US withdrawal from NATO is just Trump bluster aimed at pushing allies to cough up and spend more on defense. Brad Lendon, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 But some voters are skeptical about coughing up more cash so soon. Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2025 Cystic fibrosis leads to wheezing, abnormal heart rhythm, chest infections, coughing up blood, and other symptoms. Mark Gurarie, Health, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cough up

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cough up was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cough up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cough%20up. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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