EXPECTORATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does expectorate mean? 

• EXPECTORATE (verb)
  The verb EXPECTORATE has 2 senses:

1. clear out the chest and lungs

2. discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth

  Familiarity information: EXPECTORATE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXPECTORATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they expectorate    ... he / she / it expectorates   
Past simple: expectorated   
Past participle: expectorated   
-ing form: expectorating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Clear out the chest and lungs

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clear out; drive out; expectorate

Context example:

This drug expectorates quickly

Hypernyms (to "expectorate" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

cough out; cough up; expectorate; spit out; spit up

Hypernyms (to "expectorate" is one way to...):

discharge; eject; exhaust; expel; release (eliminate (a substance))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "expectorate"):

cough (exhale abruptly, as when one has a chest cold or congestion)

ptyalise; ptyalize; spew; spit; spue (expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth)

spit out; splutter; sputter (spit up in an explosive manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

expectoration (the act of spitting (forcefully expelling saliva))

expectoration (the process of coughing up and spitting out)

expectorator (a person who spits (ejects saliva or phlegm from the mouth))