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

Synonyms

• cede
• deliver
• give up
• hand over
• lay down
• relinquish
• render
• surrender
• turn in
• turn over
• yield

Examples of cough up in a Sentence

finally got my brother to cough up the dough he owed me

Recent Examples on the Web

Those sickened can have chest pain, feel weak and cough up blood or mucus from the respiratory tract, according to the CDC. —Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 28 Jan. 2025

Symptoms and safety measures Common symptoms of active TB include coughing, chest pains, fever, fatigue and coughing up blood or phlegm. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2025

Another crunch-time fumble Four days after coughing up a late lead in an overtime loss to Atlanta, the Celtics suffered through a similar final-minute meltdown. —Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Jan. 2025

Prior to Nick Jensen’s goal, which pulled the Senators within one, Lindholm coughed up the puck below the goal line. —Fluto Shinzawa, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1