From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cuckoo \Cuck"oo\ (k[oo^]k"[=oo]), n. [OE. coccou, cukkow, F.
coucou, prob. of imitative origin; cf. L. cuculus, Gr. ????,
Skr. k?ki?a, G. kuckuk, D. koekoek.] (Zool.)
A bird belonging to {Cuculus}, {Coccyzus}, and several allied
genera, of many species.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The European cuckoo ({Cuculus canorus}) builds no nest
of its own, but lays its eggs in the nests of other
birds, to be hatched by them. The American
yellow-billed cuckoo ({Coccyzus Americanus}) and the
black-billed cuckoo ({Coccyzus erythrophthalmus}) build
their own nests.
[1913 Webster]
{Cuckoo clock}, a clock so constructed that at the time for
striking it gives forth sounds resembling the cry of the
cuckoo.
{Cuckoo dove} (Zool.), a long-tailed pigeon of the genus
{Macropygia}. Many species inhabit the East Indies.
{Cuckoo fish} (Zool.), the European red gurnard ({Trigla
cuculus}). The name probably alludes to the sound that it
utters.
{Cuckoo falcon} (Zool.), any falcon of the genus {Baza}. The
genus inhabits Africa and the East Indies.
{Cuckoo maid} (Zool.), the wryneck; -- called also {cuckoo
mate}.
{Cuckoo ray} (Zool.), a British ray ({Raia miraletus}).
{Cuckoo spit}, or {Cuckoo spittle}.
(a) A frothy secretion found upon plants, exuded by the
larvae of certain insects, for concealment; -- called
also {toad spittle} and {frog spit}.
(b) (Zool.) A small hemipterous insect, the larva of which,
living on grass and the leaves of plants, exudes this
secretion. The insects belong to {Aphrophora},
{Helochara}, and allied genera.
{Ground cuckoo}, the chaparral cock.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
cuckoo
n 1: a man who is a stupid incompetent fool [syn: {fathead},
{goof}, {goofball}, {bozo}, {jackass}, {goose}, {cuckoo},
{twat}, {zany}]
2: any of numerous European and North American birds having
pointed wings and a long tail
v 1: repeat monotonously, like a cuckoo repeats his call
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