in stitches
informal

- if a joke or funny story has you in stitches, it makes you laugh a lot

- If you are in stitches, you cannot stop laughing

Cambridge Dictionary / Collins CoBuild

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ORIGIN

Although the precise idiom dates only from about 1930, Shakespeare had a similar expression in Twelfth Night (3:2): “If you desire the spleen (amusement), and will laugh yourselves into stitches, follow me.”

Stitches here refers to the sharp local pain (known as a stitch in the side) that can make one double over, much as a fit of laughter can.

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SEVEN WAYS TO LAUGH

The following words refer to making a sound of enjoyment while smiling, usually in response to something that is funny or pleasant.

- LAUGH = the most common word, used in most situations to refer to making a loud sound of pleasure or joy while smiling (Over dinner, they laughed continuously at his jokes)

- CHUCKLE = If someone laughs quietly, the verb chuckle is sometimes used (She was chuckling as she read his message)

- GIGGLE = The verb giggle is often used when someone laughs in a quiet, childish way, often at something silly or rude, or because they are nervous (The girls were giggling at the back of the classroom)

- SNIGGER = If someone laughs in a childish and unkind way, you can use the word snigger or, in US English, snicker (They sniggered at what she was wearing. US = Stop snickering at that rude joke and get back to your classwork)

- CHORTLE = Chortle can be used when someone laughs because of being pleased, especially at someone else’s bad luck (She chortled with glee at him receiving no bonus)

- CRACK UP = The phrasal verb crack up or the phrase “burst out laughing” can be used when someone suddenly starts laughing, often uncontrollably (I just cracked up when I saw him wearing that ridiculous hat)

- IN STITCHES = If someone is laughing so much that they cannot stop, use this phrase especially in informal situations (His jokes had us all in stitches)

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VIRTUAL SUICIDE

What I have learned during “The Covid Years” is to be very careful with humour in business team meetings. As one client rightly observed “Telling a joke over Zoom, GMeet, or MS Teams can be the equivalent of virtual suicide”.

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SYNONYMS

be rolling in the aisles, bust a gut, cackle, chortle, chuckle, crack up, fall about the place, giggle, guffaw, gurgle, have/be in hysterics, hold one’s sides, IN STITCHES, laugh, laugh like a drain, snigger (US snicker), teehee, titter,

bellow/howl/hoot/roar/scream/screech/shake/shriek/snort/break up/be convulsed/doubled up/fall about… with laughter.

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“I was IN STITCHES while watching that film last night.”

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Paul Smith