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.
An advertiser who passes up on a $700,000 NFL unit in the spring can often expect to cough up as much as $875,000 for that very same unit come fall. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 25 Apr. 2025 After the Royals coughed up the lead in the top of the ninth inning, backup catcher Freddy Fermin came on as a pinch runner and scored the tying run. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2025 Additionally, Ralph wasn’t required to cough up all of his financial documents and was granted permission to continue residing in the basement of their home. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025 The Bucks can’t afford to cough up the ball in their own trenches. Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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