GIGGLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does giggle mean? 

• GIGGLE (noun)
  The noun GIGGLE has 1 sense:

1. a foolish or nervous laugh

  Familiarity information: GIGGLE used as a noun is very rare.

• GIGGLE (verb)
  The verb GIGGLE has 1 sense:

1. laugh nervously

  Familiarity information: GIGGLE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GIGGLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A foolish or nervous laugh

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("giggle" is a kind of...):

laugh; laughter (the sound of laughing)

Derivation:

giggle (laugh nervously)

• GIGGLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they giggle    ... he / she / it giggles   
Past simple: giggled   
Past participle: giggled   
-ing form: giggling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Laugh nervously

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

giggle; titter

Context example:

The girls giggled when the rock star came into the classroom

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

express joy; express mirth; laugh (produce laughter)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

giggle (a foolish or nervous laugh)

giggler (a person who laughs nervously)

 Context examples 

But say no more than you are told to say, or’—here came the nervous giggle again—‘you had better never have been born.’

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Good gracious! (giggling as she spoke) I'd lay my life I know what my cousins will say, when they hear of it.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) Does the patient seem to have a childish sense of humor with a tendency to giggle or laugh inappropriately (such as when something unfortunate happens to others)?

(NPI - Seem to Have a Childish Sense of Humor, NCI Thesaurus)

If you have children, Mars will also see to it that you have time to devote to your little munchkins—to play, talk, giggle, and enjoy being with them.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“Talk of a mess!” he giggled.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

She giggled, and her colour rose.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Meg danced and flirted, chattered and giggled, as the other girls did.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"What's her name?" he asked of the giggling girl, nodding at the dark-eyed one.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Come,” said he, “you are anxious for a compliment, so I will tell you that you have improved her. You have cured her of her school-girl's giggle; she really does you credit.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I discovered this, from overhearing the lady in the bow-window say to the guard, Take care of that child, George, or he'll burst! and from observing that the women-servants who were about the place came out to look and giggle at me as a young phenomenon.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)