[ˈhɛkl], (Verb)

Definitions:
- interrupt (a public speaker) with derisive or aggressive comments or abuse
(e.g: he was booed and heckled when he tried to address the demonstrators)

- dress (flax or hemp) to split and straighten the fibres for spinning
(e.g: hemp was heckled and spun into rope yarn)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in heckle): 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

[ˈhɛkl], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a heckling comment
(e.g: heckles of ‘Get stuffed!’)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English (in heckle): 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