pewit

4 definitions found

pewit - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pewee \Pe"wee\, n. [So called from its note.]
     1. (Zool.) A common American tyrant flycatcher (Sayornis  ph[oe]be
        , or Sayornis fuscus). Called also pewit, and
        ph[oe]be.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The woodcock. [Local, U.S.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Wood pewee (Zool.), a bird (Contopus virens) similar to
        the pewee (See Pewee, 1), but of smaller size.
        [1913 Webster]

  Pewit \Pe"wit\, n. [Prob. of imitative origin; cf. OD. piewit,
     D. kievit, G. kibitz.] (Zool.)
        (a) The lapwing.
        (b) The European black-headed, or laughing, gull (Xema  ridibundus
            ). See under Laughing.
        (c) The pewee. [Written also peevit, peewit, pewet.]
            [1913 Webster]

  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]

pewit - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  pewit
      n 1: small black-headed European gull [syn: laughing gull,
           blackcap, pewit, pewit gull, Larus ridibundus]
      2: large crested Old World plover having wattles and spurs [syn:
         lapwing, green plover, peewit, pewit]
      3: small olive-colored woodland flycatchers of eastern North
         America [syn: pewee, peewee, peewit, pewit, wood   pewee
         , Contopus virens]