howler

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

howler
    n 1: a joke that seems extremely funny [syn: {belly laugh},
         {sidesplitter}, {howler}, {thigh-slapper}, {scream}, {wow},
         {riot}]
    2: monkey of tropical South American forests having a loud
       howling cry [syn: {howler monkey}, {howler}]
    3: a glaring blunder

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Howler \Howl"er\, n.
   1. One who howls.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Zool.) Any South American monkey of the genus {Mycetes}.
      Many species are known. They are arboreal in their habits,
      and are noted for the loud, discordant howling in which
      they indulge at night.
      [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

57 Moby Thesaurus words for "howler":
      Irish bull, belly laugh, bloomer, blooper, blue story, blunder,
      bobble, bonehead play, boner, boo-boo, boob stunt, boot, clanger,
      clinker, dirty joke, dirty story, double entendre, dumb trick,
      error, ethnic joke, fool mistake, foozle, foul-up, fun,
      funny story, gaffe, gag, good one, good story, goof, jape, jest,
      jestbook, joke, laugh, louse-up, malapropism, mistake, muck-up,
      panic, play, point, pratfall, rib tickler, riot, scream, screamer,
      screw-up, sick joke, sidesplitter, sight gag, sport, story,
      visual joke, wheeze, wow, yarn

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