cack·le (kăk'əl)

v., -led, -ling, -les.

v.intr.

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

v.tr.
To utter in cackles: cackled a sarcastic reply.

n.

1. The act or sound of cackling.
2. Shrill laughter.
3. Foolish chatter.

[Middle English cakelen, probably from Middle Low German kākeln, of imitative origin.]

cackler cack'ler n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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