--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Describing laughter: The sound is…" description: "\"Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic contractions of the chest, and especially th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg" --- # Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep… ![“Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic contractions of the chest, and especially the diaphragm... the mouth is open more or less widely, with the corners drawn much backwards, as well as a little upwards; and the upper lip is…” quote by Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg) > “Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic contractions of the chest, and especially the diaphragm... the mouth is open more or less widely, with the corners drawn much backwards, as well as a little upwards; and the upper lip is somewhat raised.” [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Laughter involves a deep inhale, rapid chest and diaphragm contractions, and an open mouth with raised lips and drawn‑back corners. **In simple terms:** Laughter is a deep breath with quick chest movements and an open mouth. Key Takeaway Notice how breath shape affects expression. Themes physiology expression communication Mood joyful analytical Type descriptive scientific When to use this quote - public speaking - comedy performance - social bonding - stress relief Key Concepts respiratory dynamics facial musculature Questions to Reflect On - How does breath influence emotional expression? - When does laughter become inappropriate? A Different Perspective Laughter can be suppressed by social norms or health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Chests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chests/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Contractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contractions/) [Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corners/) [Describing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/describing/) [Describing Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/describing-laughter-5588919/) [Diaphragm Mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaphragm-mouth-5588920/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Interrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interrupted/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Laughter Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter-sound-2695880/) [Lips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lips/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mouth Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth-open-267286/) [Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths/) [Raised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raised/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [Laughter is the sound of happiness flowing out to lift you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberta-peedoodle/laughter-is-the-sound-of-happiness-flowing-out-to-lift-you-up/) [Alberta Peedoodle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberta-peedoodle/) > [“I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me to be the most civilized music in the world. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/i-was-irrevocably-betrothed-to-laughter-the-sound-of-which-has-always-2/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) > [“Laughter is the sound of the soul dancing. My soul probably looks like Fred Astaire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/laughter-is-the-sound-of-the-soul-dancing-my-soul-probably-looks-like/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Laughter is the only sound left I can make that people will understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laughter-is-the-only-sound-left-i-can-make-that-people-will-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me the most civilised music in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/i-was-irrevocably-betrothed-to-laughter-the-sound-of-which-has-always/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) > [And he goes through life, his mouth open, and his mind closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-he-goes-through-life-his-mouth-open-and-his-mind-closed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No encounter, mouth open up ... that is how the drug businesses see the general public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/no-encounter-mouth-open-up-that-is-how-the-drug-businesses-see-the/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [The bore is good for promoting sleep; but though he causeth sleep in others, it is uncertain whether he ever sleeps himself; as few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/the-bore-is-good-for-promoting-sleep-but-though-he-causeth-sleep-in/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [“You must tell me about it when you do,' she said. 'When you make love for the first time, I mean. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-thomson/you-must-tell-me-about-it-when-you-do-she-said-when-you-make-love-for/) [Rupert Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-thomson/) > [Her mouth was open, as if she wanted to say something, and I wanted to kiss her to show her that sometimes you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/her-mouth-was-open-as-if-she-wanted-to-say-something-and-i-wanted-to/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“He sat up, his chest moving, his mouth open as if he'd run the annual San Francisco Bay to Breakers race in record time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-riker/he-sat-up-his-chest-moving-his-mouth-open-as-if-he-d-run-the-annual/) [Leigh Riker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-riker/) > [If you start eating with your mouth open - I can't stand it! I was out to dinner with a girl, and she started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-guzman/if-you-start-eating-with-your-mouth-open-i-can-t-stand-it-i-was-out/) [Ryan Guzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-guzman/) > [Shut your mouth; open your eyes and ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/shut-your-mouth-open-your-eyes-and-ears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The problem with closed mind people is that their mouth is always open ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-problem-with-closed-mind-people-is-that-their-mouth-is-always-open/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“His last name was Chew, and I didn’t care if he was Asian, I still screamed, “Not with your mouth open!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/his-last-name-was-chew-and-i-didn-t-care-if-he-was-asian-i-still/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Charles Darwin > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [The main conclusion here arrived at ... is that man is descended from some less highly organized form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-main-conclusion-here-arrived-at-is-that-man-is-descended-from/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [So great is the economy of nature, that most flowers which are fertilised by crepuscular or nocturnal insects emit their odour chiefly or exclusively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/so-great-is-the-economy-of-nature-that-most-flowers-which-are/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I see no good reasons why the views given in this volume should shock the religious views of anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-see-no-good-reasons-why-the-views-given-in-this-volume-should-shock/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science…It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/i-am-quite-conscious-that-my-speculations-run-beyond-the-bounds-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [If worms have the power of acquiring some notion, however rude, of the shape of an object and over their burrows, as seems the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/if-worms-have-the-power-of-acquiring-some-notion-however-rude-of-the/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [We can allow satellites, planets, suns, universe, nay whole systems of universes, to be governed by laws, but the smallest insect, we wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/we-can-allow-satellites-planets-suns-universe-nay-whole-systems-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Formerly Milton's Paradise Lost had been my chief favourite, and in my excursions during the voyage of the Beagle, when I could take only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/formerly-milton-s-paradise-lost-had-been-my-chief-favourite-and-in-my/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [May we not suspect that the vague but very real fears of children, which are quite independent of experience, are the inherited effects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/may-we-not-suspect-that-the-vague-but-very-real-fears-of-children/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [It may be said that natural selection is daily and hourly scrutinizing, throughout the world, every variation, even the slightest; rejecting that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/it-may-be-said-that-natural-selection-is-daily-and-hourly/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“Darwin, landing in Brazil in 1832, had a similar reaction, colored by his reading of his predecessor." Humboldt's glorious descriptions are & will for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/darwin-landing-in-brazil-in-1832-had-a-similar-reaction-colored-by/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [...all nature is perverse & will not do as I wish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/all-nature-is-perverse-will-not-do-as-i-wish-it/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“To admit that species generally become rare before they become extinct—to feel no surprise at the comparative rarity of one species with another, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/to-admit-that-species-generally-become-rare-before-they-become/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/to-suppose-that-the-eye-could-have-been-formed-by-natural-selection/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [It is interesting to contemplate an entangled bank clothed with many plants of many kinds with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/it-is-interesting-to-contemplate-an-entangled-bank-clothed-with-many/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Explore all 497 Charles Darwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic contractions of the chest, and especially the diaphragm... the mouth is open more or less widely, with the corners drawn much backwards, as well as a little upwards; and the upper lip is somewhat raised.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Darwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produced-by-a-deep-inspiration/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backwards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produced-by-a-deep-inspiration/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18a/charles-darwin-507_backwards_describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produce_2327934.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Describing laughter: The sound is produced by a deep inspiration followed by short, interrupted, spasmodic…” — Charles Darwin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Darwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Describing laughter: The sound is produced...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produced-by-a-deep-inspiration/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/describing-laughter-the-sound-is-produced-by-a-deep-inspiration/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```