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Cough vs Hough - What's the difference?

cough | hough |

As verbs the difference between cough and hough

is that cough is to push air from the lungs in a quick, noisy explosion while hough is to hamstring.

As nouns the difference between cough and hough

is that cough is a sudden, usually noisy expulsion of air from the lungs, often involuntary while hough is the hollow behind the knee.

cough

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To push air from the lungs in a quick, noisy explosion.
  • * , chapter=3
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.”  He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the cough'ing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about ' cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.}}
  • * , title=(Jeeves in the Offing)
    • , section=chapter XI , passage=I drew a deep breath, and a moment later wished I hadn't, because I drew it while drinking the remains of my gin and tonic. “Does Kipper know of this?“ I said, when I had finished coughing .}}
  • To make a noise like a cough.

    • Derived terms

    * cougher * cough up

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sudden, usually noisy expulsion of air from the lungs, often involuntary.
    • Behind me, I heard a distinct, dry cough .
  • A condition that causes one to cough; a tendency to cough.
    • Sorry, I can't come to work today – I've got a nasty cough .
    • He was – cough – indisposed.

    Hyponyms

    * barking cough * churchyard cough * congested cough * dry cough * hacking cough * loose cough * non-productive cough * productive cough * smoker's cough * wet cough

    Derived terms

    * cough mixture * cough syrup * whooping cough

    hough

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) h?h.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • the hollow behind the knee
  • :* 1922': In the bright light, lightened and cooled in limb, he eyed carefully his black trousers, the ends, the knees, the '''houghs of the knees. — James Joyce, ''Ulysses

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hamstring

    • Derived terms

    * hougher

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) howe, from (etyl) houe, from Old Low Franconian *houwa'' (compare Middle Dutch houwe), from *''houwan 'to hew'. More at (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
    • (Bishop Stillingfleet)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • * 1748 , , K:LV
  • *:"Better the toiling Swain, oh happier far!
    • Perhaps the happie?t of the Sons of Men!
    Who vigorous plies the Plough, the Team, or Car;
    Who houghs the Field, or ditches in the Glen,
    Delves in his Garden, or ?ecures his Pen."