ˈkækəl ˈkækəl ˈɡæɡl̩ jæk emit a loud, unpleasant kind of laughing make a cackling sound The fire cackled cozily squawk shrilly and loudly, characteristic of hens talk or utter in a cackling manner The women cackled when they saw the movie star step out of the limousine make a noise characteristic of a goose Cackling geese a loud laugh suggestive of a hen's cackle noisy talk the sound made by a hen after laying an egg