gargoyle

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

gargoyle
    n 1: a spout that terminates in a grotesquely carved figure of a
         person or animal
    2: an ornament consisting of a grotesquely carved figure of a
       person or animal

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Gargoyle \Gar"goyle\, n. [OE. garguilie, gargouille, cf. Sp.
   g['a]rgola, prob. fr. the same source as F. gorge throat,
   influenced by L. gargarizare to gargle. See {Gorge} and cf.
   {Gargle}, {Gargarize}.] (Arch.)
   A spout projecting from the roof gutter of a building, often
   carved grotesquely. [Written also {gargle}, {gargyle}, and
   {gurgoyle}.]
   [1913 Webster]

from The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906)

GARGOYLE, n.  A rain-spout projecting from the eaves of mediaeval
buildings, commonly fashioned into a grotesque caricature of some
personal enemy of the architect or owner of the building.  This was
especially the case in churches and ecclesiastical structures
generally, in which the gargoyles presented a perfect rogues' gallery
of local heretics and controversialists.  Sometimes when a new dean
and chapter were installed the old gargoyles were removed and others
substituted having a closer relation to the private animosities of the
new incumbents.

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Gargoyle

   A language for compiler writing.

   [J.V. Garwick, CACM 7(1):16-20, (Jan 1964)].

   (1994-11-04)

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

22 Moby Thesaurus words for "gargoyle":
      baboon, bag, beak, blemish, blot, dog, downspout, eyesore, fright,
      hag, harridan, mess, monster, monstrosity, no beauty, scarecrow,
      sight, spout, teratism, ugly duckling, waterspout, witch