Meaning of heckle in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈhɛk(ə)l/

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  1. Verb

    heckle

    Etymology

    Middle English (in heckle (sense 2 of the verb)): from heckle ‘flax comb’, a northern and eastern form of hackle. The sense ‘interrupt (a public speaker) with aggressive comments’ arose in the mid 17th century; for the development in sense, compare with tease

    Definitions

    1. comb with a heckle

    Examples

    • « heckle hemp or flax »
  2. 2. challenge aggressively

    Derived terms

  3. Noun

    heckle

    Definitions

    1. a comb for separating flax fibers

Famous quotes

  • « I don't really get shaken very much. People could heckle me, a spotlight could go out, I could forget a lyric... I'm not operating on somebody's brain, you know what I mean? So I just think it's all funny. »
    Harry Connick, Jr.

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