hatchel
n 1: a comb for separating flax fibers [syn: {hatchel},
{heckle}]
v 1: comb with a heckle; "heckle hemp or flax" [syn: {heckle},
{hackle}, {hatchel}]
Hatchel \Hatch"el\ (-[e^]l; 277), n. [OE. hechele, hekele; akin
to D. hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. h[aum]kla, and prob.
to E. hook. See {Hook}, and cf. {Hackle}, {Heckle}.]
An instrument with long iron teeth set in a board, for
cleansing flax or hemp from the tow, hards, or coarse part; a
kind of large comb; -- called also {hackle} and {heckle}.
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Hatchel \Hatch"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hatcheled} or
{Hatchelled} (-[e^]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Hatcheling} or
{Hatchelling}.] [OE. hechelen, hekelen; akin to D. hekelen,
G. hecheln, Dan. hegle, Sw. h[aum]kla. See {Hatchel}, n.]
1. To draw through the teeth of a hatchel, as flax or hemp,
so as to separate the coarse and refuse parts from the
fine, fibrous parts.
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2. To tease; to worry; to torment. [Colloq.]
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