heckle

Plural: heckles

Noun

a comb for separating flax fibers
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 rude interruption during a show, especially a comedy performance

Verb

Verb Forms: heckled, heckling, heckles

To harass a speaker with questions, taunts, or gibes.
comb with a heckle
- "heckle hemp or flax"
challenge aggressively
To question harshly in an attempt to find or reveal weaknesses.
To insult, tease, make fun of or badger, especially during a comedy performance.
To prepare flax for spinning using special combs called hackles.

Examples

My opponent tried to heckle me into making a hasty move, but I held my calm.
Promise that you won't heckle me after my performance.
The stand-up dealt well with the heckles from the crowd, replying with raucous banter to raise plenty of laughs.

Origin / 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.

Synonyms

hackle, hatchel

Scrabble Score: 15

heckle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
heckle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
heckle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

heckle: valid Words With Friends Word