heckle
/ˈhɛkəl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.40 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To insult, tease, make fun of or badger, especially during a comedy performance.
Transitive verb
noun
Alternative form of hackle (“tool for separating flax”).
noun
An rude interruption during a show, especially a comedy performance
Example Sentences
- "Promise that you won't heckle me after my performance."
- "As late as 1854, the antichoir members of an Ohio Methodist congregation heckled the choir whenever it tried to sing, hoping to "bring discredit on the singers by creating discord.""
- "[…] Internet postings, speeches, heckling, cartoons, faxes, composites, noises, threats, incitements, videos, ads, prayers, classes, live and filmed nudity (frontal, sideal, backal), defamation, blasphemy, and digital communication […]"
- "It is the large brown bonxies that heckle me as I pass across the high moor and approach the sheep gate."
- "The student section of Blue Devils fans, called “Cameron Crazies” for the energy and antics they bring to that cramped arena at Duke, heckles opponents with the help of “cheer sheets” that include biographical details and biting comments about opposing players."
- "The stand-up dealt well with the heckles from the crowd, replying with raucous banter to raise plenty of laughs."
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-West Germanic *hakilōn, from Proto-Germanic *hakilōną, related to *hakô (“hook”). Doublet of hatchel. Related to hackle.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: hekelen, *hakilōn, *hakilōną