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heckle

Pronunciation: /ˈhɛk(ə)l/

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Definition of heckle

verb

[with object]

1interrupt (a public speaker) with derisive or aggressive comments or abuse:he was booed and heckled when he tried to address the demonstrators [no object]:women round him started heckling

2dress (flax or hemp) to split and straighten the fibres for spinning: hemp was heckled and spun into rope yarn

noun

a heckling comment:heckles of ‘Get stuffed!’

Derivatives

heckler

Origin:

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

heckle in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of heckle in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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