[syn: laughing owl, laughing jackass, Sceloglaux albifacies]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Jackass \Jack"ass`\, n. [2d jack + ass.]
[1913 Webster]
1. The male ass; a donkey.
[1913 Webster]
2. A conceited dolt; a perverse blockhead; -- disparaging and
offensive.
[1913 Webster]
Jackass bark (Naut.), a three-masted vessel, with only the
foremast square-rigged; a barkentine.
Jackass deer (Zool.), the koba.
Jackass hare, Jackass rabbit (Zool.). See Jack rabbit,
under 2d Jack, n.
Jackass penguin (Zool.), any species of penguin of the
genus Spheniscus, of which several are known. One
species (Spheniscus demersus) inhabits the islands near
the Cape of Good Hope; another (Spheniscus Magellanicus)
is found at the Falkland Islands. They make a noise like
the braying of an ass; -- hence the name.
Laughing jackass. (Zool.) See under Laughing.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Laughing \Laugh"ing\, a. & n.
from Laugh, v. i.
[1913 Webster]
Laughing falcon (Zool.), a South American hawk
(Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes,
which resemble a shrill laugh.
Laughing gas (Chem.), nitrous oxide, also called
hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; -- so called
from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes
produces when inhaled. It has been much used as an
anaesthetic agent, though now its use is primarily in
dentistry
Laughing goose (Zool.), the European white-fronted goose.
Laughing gull. (Zool.)
(a) A common European gull (Xema ridibundus); -- called
also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea
crow.
(b) An American gull (Larus atricilla). In summer the head
is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer
primaries black.
Laughing hyena (Zool.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena.
Laughing jackass (Zool.), the great brown kingfisher
(Dacelo gigas), of Australia; -- called also giant
kingfisher, and gogobera.
Laughing owl (Zool.), a peculiar owl (Sceloglaux
albifacies) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of
extinction. The name alludes to its notes.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
laughing jackass
n 1: Australian kingfisher having a loud cackling cry [syn:
kookaburra, laughing jackass, Dacelo gigas]
2: almost extinct owl of New Zealand [syn: laughing owl,
laughing jackass, Sceloglaux albifacies]