guffaw
guffaw — verb
1. to suddenly laugh in a loud voice when someone says or does something you find r
to suddenly laugh in a loud voice when someone says or does something you find ridiculously silly
When Maja said she thought penguins could fly, the whole class guffawed.
guffaw + whole group reaction to absurd claim
Ramón guffawed at his uncle's claim that the moon was made of cheese.
guffaw at + target of laughter
Femi guffawed so hard at the boss's typo that coffee came out of his nose.
Caleb tried not to guffaw when his friend walked straight into the glass door.
The children guffawed at the clown's fake fall, then fell silent when the teacher frowned.
- snicker
quieter and more secretive; suggests sneering rather than open laughter
- roar with laughter
similar volume but usually a positive reaction to something genuinely funny, not a mock at foolishness
- sigh
a quiet breath of disappointment or frustration, opposite of loud amusement
文法句型
guffaw at [someone/something]
用法筆記
Often used with the preposition 'at' to indicate what triggers the laughter. The person or situation being laughed at may feel embarrassed or exposed.
常見錯誤
2. to laugh in a noisy, unrestrained way that shows you do not care who hears you
to laugh in a noisy, unrestrained way that shows you do not care who hears you
Putri guffawed with delight when her sister finally told the full story.
guffaw + with delight — adverbial of manner
The fishermen guffawed loudly as Vikram described his escape from the crocodile.
Camila guffawed without any restraint, her shoulders shaking as tears ran down her face.
Jisoo's friends guffawed around the dinner table long after the food had gone cold.
The old men guffawed together on the porch, their laughter carrying across the street.
- chortle
quieter and more joyful; implies satisfaction rather than wild noise
- howl with laughter
similar volume but more appropriate for humorous situations, not just boisterous energy
- whisper
the quietest form of speech, opposite of loud, unrestrained noise
文法句型
guffaw + adverbial (of manner)
用法筆記
This sense focuses on the sound and energy of the laugh rather than its cause. The subject is typically a person or group enjoying themselves fully. Less common than the 'laugh at folly' sense.
常見錯誤
guffaw — noun
1. a sudden, noisy laugh that escapes without warning and is hard to hold back
a sudden, noisy laugh that escapes without warning and is hard to hold back
Christopher let out a guffaw that made heads turn across the restaurant.
let out a guffaw — common verb + noun phrase
Mert's sudden guffaw startled the cat, which jumped off the sofa.
A loud guffaw came from the back of the cinema during the quietest scene.
Olivia tried to cover her guffaw, but everyone in the meeting had already heard it.
Talia's guffaw echoed through the empty hallway long after the joke was over.
- belly laugh
deeper and more from the stomach; sounds warmer than a guffaw
- chuckle
much quieter, shorter, and more restrained
- whisper
a barely audible utterance, the quiet opposite of a burst of loud laughter
用法筆記
Guffaw as a noun is countable — it refers to a single instance of loud laughter, not laughter in general. Common with verbs like 'let out', 'give', and 'suppress'.