laugh up one's sleeve laugh up one's sleeve or laugh in one's sleeve or laugh in one's beard To be amused but not show it; hide your laughter. He was laughing up his sleeve when Joe answered the phone because he knew the call would he a joke. Categories: add yours laugh sleeve Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms by A. Makkai, M.T. Boatner, J.E. Gates © 2024 To section: L Subscribe to: American IdiomsIdioms feedEnglish languageHome page and general feed Comment on this entry