I had to chuckle
I had to laugh quietly to myself
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
I HAD TO CHUCKLE when I read the article about Fairfax County Public Schools overturning the chocolate milk ban as a result of pressure from parents who want to make sure children are getting enough calcium.
(Washington Post)
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The appreciative smile, the CHUCKLE, the soundless mirth, so important to the success of comedy, cannot be understood unless one sits among the audience and feels the warmth created by the quality of laughter that the audience takes home with it.
- James Thurber
(Washington Post)
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The appreciative smile, the CHUCKLE, the soundless mirth, so important to the success of comedy, cannot be understood unless one sits among the audience and feels the warmth created by the quality of laughter that the audience takes home with it.
- James Thurber
Did you
know?
chuckle
verb
- to laugh quietly or to oneself
noun
- a quiet laugh of mild amusement or satisfaction
(American Heritage Dictionary)
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ORIGIN
Chuckle stems from the Middle English "chukken," meaning to laugh noisily. Chukken is a so-called onomatopoeia, which is forming or using words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. In this case it stemmed from the sound a chicken makes. Chuckle belongs to a group of several imitative words that all refer to laughing. These include guffaw, cackle, hee-haw, tee-hee and titter.
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The Chuckling Weatherman
During a weather broadcast in October 1987, British meteorologist Michael Fish told viewers that a woman rang to say she'd heard there was a hurricane on the way. "Well, don't worry," he continued, "there is no hurricane." Dismissing the woman's forecast with a chuckle, Fish promised "sea breezes" and a "showery airflow."
Britain was promptly hit by 120 mph winds which ripped up 300 miles of power cables, plunged a quarter of the country into darkness, blocked 200 roads with fallen branches, downed 25 per cent of the trees in Kent and stopped all rail traffic in the south for twenty-four hours. An ambulance at Hayling island was hit by a yacht floating across the road and the Meteorological Office called it the worst hurricane since 1703.
Following that, no one was left chuckling, including Michael Fish.
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SYNONYMS
cackle, chortle, giggle, guffaw, hee-haw, laugh, snicker, snigger, sniggle, teehee, titter
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SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Our boss insists on punctuality. I had to chuckle when he was late for the meeting himself."
verb
- to laugh quietly or to oneself
noun
- a quiet laugh of mild amusement or satisfaction
(American Heritage Dictionary)
---
ORIGIN
Chuckle stems from the Middle English "chukken," meaning to laugh noisily. Chukken is a so-called onomatopoeia, which is forming or using words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. In this case it stemmed from the sound a chicken makes. Chuckle belongs to a group of several imitative words that all refer to laughing. These include guffaw, cackle, hee-haw, tee-hee and titter.
---
The Chuckling Weatherman
During a weather broadcast in October 1987, British meteorologist Michael Fish told viewers that a woman rang to say she'd heard there was a hurricane on the way. "Well, don't worry," he continued, "there is no hurricane." Dismissing the woman's forecast with a chuckle, Fish promised "sea breezes" and a "showery airflow."
Britain was promptly hit by 120 mph winds which ripped up 300 miles of power cables, plunged a quarter of the country into darkness, blocked 200 roads with fallen branches, downed 25 per cent of the trees in Kent and stopped all rail traffic in the south for twenty-four hours. An ambulance at Hayling island was hit by a yacht floating across the road and the Meteorological Office called it the worst hurricane since 1703.
Following that, no one was left chuckling, including Michael Fish.
---
SYNONYMS
cackle, chortle, giggle, guffaw, hee-haw, laugh, snicker, snigger, sniggle, teehee, titter
---
SMUGGLE OWAD into today's conversation
"Our boss insists on punctuality. I had to chuckle when he was late for the meeting himself."
