heckle
English
Etymology
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.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhɛkəl/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛkəl
Verb
heckle (third-person singular simple present heckles, present participle heckling, simple past and past participle heckled)
- (transitive) To question harshly in an attempt to find or reveal weaknesses. [from later 18th c.]
- (transitive) To insult, tease, make fun of or badger, especially during a comedy performance.
- Promise that you won't heckle me after my performance.
- (textiles) To prepare flax for spinning using special combs called hackles
Synonyms
(prepare flax for spinning): hackle
Related terms
- heckler
- heckling
Translations
question harshly in an attempt to reveal weaknesses
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insult, tease, make fun of, badger
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Noun
heckle (plural heckles)
- Alternative form of hackle (“tool for separating flax”)
- The long shining feathers on a cock's neck.
- A feather ornament in the full-dress bonnets of Highland regiments.
- 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.
Anagrams
- Heckel