laughing gas

2 definitions found

laughing gas - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Laughing \Laugh"ing\, a. & n.
     from Laugh, v. i.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Laughing falcon (Zool.), a South American hawk
        (Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes,
        which resemble a shrill laugh.
  
     Laughing gas (Chem.), nitrous oxide, also called
        hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen; -- so called
        from the exhilaration and laughing which it sometimes
        produces when inhaled. It has been much used as an
        anaesthetic agent, though now its use is primarily in
        dentistry
  
     Laughing goose (Zool.), the European white-fronted goose.
        
  
     Laughing gull. (Zool.)
     (a) A common European gull (Xema ridibundus); -- called
         also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea   crow
         .
     (b) An American gull (Larus atricilla). In summer the head
         is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer
         primaries black.
  
     Laughing hyena (Zool.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena.
  
     Laughing jackass (Zool.), the great brown kingfisher
        (Dacelo gigas), of Australia; -- called also giant  kingfisher
        , and gogobera.
  
     Laughing owl (Zool.), a peculiar owl (Sceloglaux  albifacies
        ) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of
        extinction. The name alludes to its notes.
        [1913 Webster]

laughing gas - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  laughing gas
      n 1: inhalation anesthetic used as an anesthetic in dentistry
           and surgery [syn: nitrous oxide, laughing gas]