Phrase guide

laugh in one's sleeve

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

to laugh in secret or to oneself, usually gloatingly

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: riure per sota el nas — laugh secretly
  • Chinese Cantonese: 偷笑 (tau1 siu3) — laugh secretly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 偷笑 (tōuxiào) — laugh secretly
  • Dutch: in zijn vuistje lachen — laugh secretly
  • Finnish: nauraa itsekseen — laugh secretly
  • Finnish: nauraa salaa — laugh secretly
  • French: rire dans sa barbe — laugh secretly
  • French: rire sous cape — laugh secretly
  • German: sich ins Fäustchen lachen — laugh secretly
  • Italian: ridere sotto i baffi — laugh secretly
  • Polish: śmiać się w kułak — laugh secretly
  • Romanian: râde în barbă — laugh secretly
  • Romanian: râde pe sub mustață — laugh secretly
  • Turkish: bıyık altından gülmek — laugh secretly
  • Volapük: lusmilön kläno — laugh secretly