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to cough up
[phrase form: cough]
01
to reluctantly provide or surrender something, often money or information
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
action verb
regular
separable
particle
up
base verb
cough
present tense
cough up
3rd person singular
coughs up
present participle
coughing up
past simple
coughed up
past participle
coughed up
Examples
The debtor finally had to cough up the overdue payment after repeated reminders.
02
to clear one's throat through a brief and discreet cough, often to prepare for speech or to draw other's attention
Examples
The singer took a quick break backstage to cough up and ensure their voice remained clear for the next performance.
