heckle

Transferred usage of Middle English hekelen (“to comb flax or hemp with a heckle”), from hekele (“a comb for flax or hemp”), from Middle Dutch hekelen (“to prickle, irritate”), from Proto-Germanic *hakilōną, related to *hakô (“hook”). Related to hackle.

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɛkəl/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛkəl

heckle (third-person singular simple present heckles, present participle heckling, simple past and past participle heckled)

1. (transitive) To question harshly in an attempt to find or reveal weaknesses. [from later 18th c.]
2. (transitive) To insult, tease, make fun of or badger, especially during a comedy performance.

   Promise that you won't heckle me after my performance.

3. (textiles) To prepare flax for spinning using special combs called hackles

(prepare flax for spinning): hackle

• heckler
• heckling

heckle (plural heckles)

1. Alternative form of hackle (“tool for separating flax”)
2. The long shining feathers on a cock's neck.
3. A feather ornament in the full-dress bonnets of Highland regiments.
4. An interruption during a show, especially a comedy performance

   The stand-up dealt well with the heckles from the crowd, replying with raucous banter to raise plenty of laughs.

• Heckel