laughing jackass

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}]
    

Jackass \Jack"ass`\, n. [2d jack + ass.]
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   1. The male ass; a donkey.
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   2. A conceited dolt; a perverse blockhead; -- disparaging and
      offensive.
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   {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}.
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Laughing \Laugh"ing\, a. & n.
   from {Laugh}, v. i.
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   {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.
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