cough up: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    General Englishinformalcolloquial
    • To pay or hand over money, especially reluctantly or under pressure.

    Examples

    Beta

    • After months of negotiation, they finally coughed up the money owed on the contract.

      After months of negotiation, they finally paid the money owed on the contract.

    • I hate to cough up so much for rent, but there's no cheaper place nearby.

      I hate to pay so much for rent, but there's no cheaper place nearby.

    • Will you cough up the fee now, or do you want to wait until next week?

      Will you pay the fee now, or do you want to wait until next week?

  • 2.

    General Englishinformal
    • To produce or surrender something (such as information, documents, or an item) often reluctantly or after persuasion.

    Examples

    Beta

    • The suspect finally coughed up the documents that proved his involvement.

      The suspect finally surrendered the documents that proved his involvement.

    • We had to pressure the company to cough up the data for our investigation.

      We had to pressure the company to produce the data for our investigation.

    • Did he cough up the names of everyone involved, or is he still holding back?

      Did he surrender the names of everyone involved, or is he still withholding them?

  • 3.

    General Englishneutralmedical
    • To expel something from the throat or lungs by coughing; to expectorate or vomit.

    Examples

    Beta

    • The patient coughed up a thick mucus after several bouts of coughing.

      The patient expelled thick mucus from the lungs after several coughs.

    • During the cold, she was coughing up frequently and felt very weak.

      During the cold, she was expelling phlegm by coughing frequently and felt very weak.

    • He couldn't stop coughing and eventually coughed up some blood, so we rushed him to the hospital.

      He couldn't stop coughing and eventually expelled some blood, so we rushed him to the hospital.

    • After the choking incident, he started to cough up the food that had gotten stuck in his throat.

      After choking, he expelled the food stuck in his throat by coughing.

Examples:

  • EN: Be nice to her and she'll cough up the dough for sure.
    ES: Sé amable con ella, entonces seguro que soltará los cuartos.
  • EN: Well, come on, cough up.
    ES: Vamos. Suelta la guita.
  • EN: Well, come on, cough up!
    ES: ¡Bien, venga, desembuche!
  • EN: If she wants us to keep her child, she has to cough up!
    ES: ¡Si quiere que cuidemos de su hija, tiene que pagar!
  • EN: A new dress. But he has to cough up.
    ES: Ese es tu trabajo.
  • EN: Now, come on, cough up.
    ES: Vamos, hable.
  • EN: Well. I'll grab her and make her cough up.
    ES: La agarraré y la haré confesar.
  • EN: Come on, cough up.
    ES: No seas así.
  • EN: If the old girl doesn't cough up something after all we've done for her, I shall lose my faith in human nature.
    ES: Si la anciana no suelta algo luego de todo lo que hicimos, perderé mi confianza en la naturaleza humana.
  • EN: They cough up on the ninth go.
    ES: Sueltan pasta cada nueve tiradas.
  • EN: I cough up 320,000 francs in return for a slap?
    ES: ¿He tirado 320000 francos para recibir una bofetada?
  • EN: Be nice to her and she'll cough up the dough for sure.
    ES: Sé amable con ella, entonces seguro que soltará los cuartos.
  • EN: Well, come on, cough up.
    ES: Vamos. Suelta la guita.
  • EN: Well, come on, cough up!
    ES: ¡Bien, venga, desembuche!
  • EN: If she wants us to keep her child, she has to cough up!
    ES: ¡Si quiere que cuidemos de su hija, tiene que pagar!
  • EN: A new dress. But he has to cough up.
    ES: Ese es tu trabajo.
  • EN: Now, come on, cough up.
    ES: Vamos, hable.
  • EN: Well. I'll grab her and make her cough up.
    ES: La agarraré y la haré confesar.
  • EN: Come on, cough up.
    ES: No seas así.
  • EN: If the old girl doesn't cough up something after all we've done for her, I shall lose my faith in human nature.
    ES: Si la anciana no suelta algo luego de todo lo que hicimos, perderé mi confianza en la naturaleza humana.
  • EN: They cough up on the ninth go.
    ES: Sueltan pasta cada nueve tiradas.
  • EN: I cough up 320,000 francs in return for a slap?
    ES: ¿He tirado 320000 francos para recibir una bofetada?
  • EN: Come on, boys, let's cough up some lire and pay our friend's ticket.
    ES: Venga, pongamos todos unas liras y paguémosle el billete al amigo.
  • EN: You'll have to cough up 10 bucks this time, old boy.
    ES: Tendrás que desembolsar 10 dólares esta vez, chaval.
  • EN: Come on, baby, and cough up!
    ES: Vamos, nena, escupe.
  • EN: He'll give you 'til tomorrow night to cough up.
    ES: Te doy plazo hasta mañana por la noche para soltar la pasta.

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

cough up: Meaning, Examples & Usage (English) | Idiomator