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cuckoo

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cuckoo

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Cuckoo  \Cuck"oo\  (k??k"??),  n.  [OE.  coccou  cukkow  F.  coucou 
  prob.  of  imitative  origin;  cf  L.  cuculus,  Gr  ????,  Skr. 
  k?ki?a,  G.  kuckuk  D.  koekoek.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  A  bird  belonging  to  {Cuculus},  {Coccyzus},  and  several  allied 
  genera,  of  many  species. 
 
  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  ({C.  erythrophthalmus})  build  their 
  own  nests. 
 
  {Cuckoo  bee}  (Zool.),  a  bee,  parasitic  in  the  larval  stage  in 
  the  nests  of  other  bees,  feeding  either  upon  their  food  or 
  larvae.  They  belong  to  the  genera  {Nomada},  {Melecta}, 
  {Epeolus},  and  others 
 
  {Cuckoo  clock},  a  clock  so  constructed  that  at  the  time  for 
  striking  it  gives  forth  sounds  resembling  the  cry  of  the 
  cuckoo. 
 
  {Cuckoo  dove}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  long-tailed  pigeon  of  the  genus 
  {Macropygia}.  Many  species  inhabit  the  East  Indies. 
 
  {Cuckoo  fish}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  European  red  gurnard  ({Trigla 
  cuculus}).  The  name  probably  alludes  to  the  sound  that  it 
  utters. 
 
  {Cuckoo  falcon}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  falcon  of  the  genus  {Baza}. 
  The  genus  inhabits  Africa  and  the  East  Indies. 
 
  {Cuckoo  maid}  (Zo["o]l.),  the  wryneck;  --  called  also  {cuckoo 
  mate}. 
 
  {Cuckoo  ray}  (Zo["o]l.),  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  (Zo["o]l.)  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  cuckoo 
  n  1:  a  stupid  fool  [syn:  {fathead},  {goof},  {jackass},  {goose},  {zany}] 
  2:  any  of  numerous  European  and  North  American  birds  having 
  pointed  wings  and  a  long  tail 
  v  :  repeat  monotonously,  like  a  cuckoo  repeats  his  call 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Cuckoo 
  (Heb.  shahaph),  from  a  root  meaning  "to  be  lean;  slender."  This 
  bird  is  mentioned  only  in  Lev.  11:16  and  Deut.  14:15  (R.V., 
  "seamew").  Some  have  interpreted  the  Hebrew  word  by  petrel"  or 
  shearwater"  (Puffinus  cinereus),  which  is  found  on  the  coast  of 
  Syria;  others  think  it  denotes  the  "sea-gull"  or  "seamew."  The 
  common  cuckoo  (Cuculus  canorus)  feeds  on  reptiles  and  large 
  insects.  It  is  found  in  Asia  and  Africa  as  well  as  in  Europe.  It 
  only  passes  the  winter  in  Palestine.  The  Arabs  suppose  it  to 
  utter  the  cry  _Yakub_,  and  hence  they  call  it  _tir  el-Yakub_; 
  i.e.,  "Jacob's  bird."




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