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cackle

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(kak′əl)

intransitive verb cackled, cackling

to make the shrill, broken vocal sounds of a hen
to laugh or chatter with similar sounds

Origin: ME cakelen; akin to Du kokkelen, LowG kakkeln < IE base *kak-: of echoic orig.

transitive verb

to utter in a cackling manner

noun

the act or sound of cackling
cackling laughter
idle or silly chatter

See cackle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb cack·led, cack·ling, cack·les

verb, intransitive

To make the shrill cry characteristic of a hen after laying an egg.
To laugh or talk in a shrill manner.

verb, transitive

To utter in cackles: cackled a sarcastic reply.

noun

The act or sound of cackling.
Shrill laughter.
Foolish chatter.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English cakelen

Origin: , probably from Middle Low German kākeln

Origin: , of imitative origin

Related Forms:

cackˈler noun

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