laugh out of court
To dismiss as silly something presented with genuine conviction or treated seriously.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The board laughed his ridiculous idea out of court.”
“When the inventor presented his plan for a flying car, the investors laughed him out of court.”
“The committee dismissed the proposal as entirely impractical and effectively laughed the entire project out of court before the presentation even concluded.”
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barrel of laughs
A great amount of enjoyment or entertainment, or something or someone that provides this.
- 02
bundle of laughs
Something or someone very funny or fun.
- 03
burst out laughing
To start laughing suddenly and intensely.
- 04
court of public opinion
The news media and the public at large, seen as being able to deliver a judgement on someone in the manner of a judge.
- 05
enough to make a cat laugh
Very outlandish or outrageous.
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have a laugh
To joke; kid around.
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have the ball in one's court
Alternative form of the ball is in someone's court.
- 08
have the last laugh
To be vindicated; to triumph despite predicted failure; to find success after defeat or setback.
Last updated August 10, 2026