more than you can help

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jasonlulu_2000

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I came across the following sentence while reading:

Don't cough more than you can help.

I cannot make any sense of it. Can you help me to understand this sentence?

Thanks

Jason
 

Gillnetter

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I came across the following sentence while reading:

Don't cough more than you can help.

I cannot make any sense of it. Can you help me to understand this sentence?

Thanks

Jason
Do not cough in excess of your ability to control the coughing. This is a fairly common form - "Do not spend any more than you can help". The "you can help" part speaks to your ability to stop or control something.
 

Barb_D

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It does make you wonder who spends time coughing optionally.
 

SoothingDave

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People who do so rhetorically?
 

emsr2d2

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It does seem strange when worded this way. I would expect "Don't cough if you can help it", meaning "Don't cough if you can possibly avoiding doing so".
 
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