hackle

¹

[ hak-uhl ]

noun

1. one of the long, slender feathers on the neck or saddle of certain birds, as the domestic rooster, much used in making artificial flies for anglers.
2. the neck plumage of a male bird, as the domestic rooster.
3. hackles,
   1. the erectile hair on the back of an animal's neck:

      At the sound of footsteps, the dog raised her hackles.

   2. anger, especially when aroused in a challenging or challenged manner:

      with one's hackles up.

4. Angling.
   1. the legs of an artificial fly made with feathers from the neck or saddle of a rooster or other such bird.
   2. hackle fly ( def ).
5. a comb for dressing flax or hemp.

verb (used with object)

, hack·led, hack·ling.

1. Angling. to equip with a hackle.
2. to comb, as flax or hemp.

hackle

²

[ hak-uhl ]

verb (used with object)

, hack·led, hack·ling.

1. to cut roughly; hack; mangle.

hackle

/ ˈhækəl /

noun

1. any of the long slender feathers on the necks of poultry and other birds
2. angling
   1. parts of an artificial fly made from hackle feathers, representing the legs and sometimes the wings of a real fly
   2. short for hackle fly
3. a feathered ornament worn in the headdress of some British regiments
4. a steel flax comb

verb

1. to comb (flax) using a hackle

Derived Forms

• ˈhackler, noun

Other Words From

• hackler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hackle¹

First recorded in 1450–1400; late Middle English hakel(e), hakle “animal's skin; bird's plumage”; heckle

Origin of hackle²

First recorded in 1560–70; hack ¹ + -le; cognate with Middle Dutch hakkelen

Word History and Origins

Origin of hackle¹

C15: hakell, probably from Old English; variant of heckle ; see hatchel

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. raise one's hackles, to arouse one's anger:

   Such officiousness always raises my hackles.

Example Sentences

Feline lovers in Kenya’s capital have been twitching over the threat of what is perceived as a “cat tax” - and any talk of tax in the East African nation raises the hackles.

From BBC

The ghastly cat’s hackles grew higher as he meant to pounce and claw me out.

From Literature

But the new medal has raised hackles among purists because of a key difference: It was redesigned to feature a large banner for Bank of America, the race’s corporate sponsor, along the bottom edge.

From New York Times

The fact that the 71-year-old president had initially threatened military action against Niger was what really raised hackles.

From BBC

The announcement comes after a painstaking vote counting process, which has raised the hackles of electoral watchdogs and the country’s weak opposition, who cite irregularities.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

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