To make a sharp, broken noise or cry, as a hen or goose does. [1913 Webster]
"When every goose is cackling." [1913 Webster]
To laugh with a broken noise, like the cackling of a hen or a goose; to giggle. Arbuthnot. [1913 Webster]
To talk in a silly manner; to prattle. Johnson. [1913 Webster]

cackle, n.

The sharp broken noise made by a goose or by a hen that has laid an egg. [1913 Webster]
"By her cackle saved the state." [1913 Webster]
Idle talk; silly prattle. [1913 Webster]
"There is a buzz and cackle all around regarding the sermon." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

cackle, n. & v.
--n.
1 a clucking sound as of a hen or a goose.
2 a loud silly laugh.
3 noisy inconsequential talk.
--v.
1 intr. emit a cackle.
2 intr. talk noisily and inconsequentially.
3 tr. utter or express with a cackle.

Idiom

cut the cackle colloq. stop talking aimlessly and come to the point.

Etymology

ME prob. f. MLG, MDu. kakelen (imit.)

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THESAURUS

cackle

call, carol, caw, chatter, cheep, chirk, chirp, chirr, chirrup, chitter, chuck, clack, cluck, coo, croak, cronk, crow, cuckoo, drum, gabble, gaggle, gobble, guggle, honk, hoo, hoot, peep, pip, pipe, quack, roll, scold, sing, squawk, trill, tweet, twit, twitter, warble, whistle

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ROGET THESAURUS

cackle

Loquacity

N loquacity, loquaciousness, talkativeness, garrulity, multiloquence, much speaking, jaw, gabble, jabber, chatter, prate, prattle, cackle, clack, twaddle, twattle, rattle, caquet, caquetterie, blabber, bavardage, bibble-babble, gibble-gabble, small talk, fluency, flippancy, volubility, flowing, tongue, flow of words, flux de bouche, flux de mots, copia verborum, cacoethes loquendi, furor loquendi, verbosity, gift of the gab, talker, chatterer, chatterbox, babbler, rattle, ranter, sermonizer, proser, driveler, blatherskite, gossip, magpie, jay, parrot, poll, Babel, moulin a paroles, loquacious, talkative, garrulous, linguacious, multiloquous, largiloquent, chattering, chatty, declamatory, open-mouthed, fluent, voluble, glib, flippant, long tongued, long winded, trippingly on the tongue, glibly, off the reel, the tongue running fast, the tongue running loose, the tongue running on wheels, all talk and no cider, foul whisperings are abroad, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!.

Conversation

N conversation, interlocution, collocution, colloquy, converse, confabulation, talk, discourse, verbal intercourse, oral communication, commerce, dialogue, duologue, trialogue, causerie, chat, chitchat, small talk, table talk, teatable talk, town talk, village talk, idle talk, tattle, gossip, tittle-tattle, babble, babblement, tripotage, cackle, prittle-prattle, cancan, on dit, talk of the town, talk of the village, conference, parley, interview, audience, pourparler, tete-a-tete, reception, conversazione, congress, powwow, hall of audience, durbar, palaver, debate, logomachy, war of words, gossip, tattler, Paul Pry, tabby, chatterer, interlocutor, conversationist, dialogist, the feast of reason and the flow of soul, mollia tempora fandi, conversing, interlocutory, conversational, conversable, discursive, discoursive, chatty, colloquial, with thee conversing I forget all time.

Amusement

VB amuse, entertain, divert, enliven, tickle the fancy, titillate, raise a smile, put in good humor, cause laughter, create laughter, occasion laughter, raise laughter, excite laughter, produce laughter, convulse with laughter, set the table in a roar, be the death of one, recreate, solace, cheer, rejoice, please, interest, treat, regale, amuse oneself, game, play a game, play pranks, play tricks, sport, disport, toy, wanton, revel, junket, feast, carouse, banquet, make merry, drown care, drive dull care away, frolic, gambol, frisk, romp, caper, dance, keep up the ball, run a rig, sow one's wild oats, have one's fling, take one's pleasure, paint the town red, see life, desipere in loco, play the fool, make holiday, keep holiday, go a Maying, while away the time, beguile the time, kill time, dally, smile, simper, smirk, grin, grin like a Cheshire cat, mock, laugh in one's sleeve, laugh, laugh outright, giggle, titter, snigger, crow, snicker, chuckle, cackle, burst out, burst into a fit of laughter, shout, split, roar, shake one's sides, split one's sides, hold both one's sides, roar with laughter, die with laughter.

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