Crossword clues for hackle
The Collaborative International Dictionary
hackle \hac"kle\ (h[a^]k"k'l), n. [See Heckle, and cf. Hatchel.]
A comb for dressing flax, raw silk, etc.; a hatchel.
Any flimsy substance unspun, as raw silk.
One of the peculiar, long, narrow feathers on the neck of fowls, most noticeable on the cock, -- often used in making artificial flies; hence, any feather so used.
An artificial fly for angling, made of feathers.
Hatchel \Hatch"el\ (-[e^]l; 277), n. [OE. hechele, hekele; akin to D. hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. h["a]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.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Old English hacele "cloak, mantle" (cognate with Old High German hachul, Gothic hakuls "cloak;" Old Norse hekla "hooded frock"), of uncertain origin. Sense of "bird plumage" is first recorded early 15c., though this might be from unrelated Middle English hackle "flax comb" (see heckle (n.)) on supposed resemblance of comb to ruffled feathers. Metaphoric extension found in raise one's hackles (as a cock does when angry) is first recorded 1881.
Wiktionary
n. 1 An instrument with steel pins used to comb out flax or hemp. (from 15th c.) 2 (context usually now in the plural English) One of the long, narrow feathers on the neck of birds, most noticeable on the cock. (from 15th c.) 3 (context fishing English) A feather used to make a fishing lure or a fishing lure incorporating a feather. (from 17th c.) 4 (context usually now in the plural English) By extension (because the hackles of a cock are lifted when it is angry), the hair on the nape of the neck in dogs and other animals; also used figuratively for humans. (from 19th c.) 5 A plate with rows of pointed needles used to blend or straighten hair. (from 20th c.) 6 A feather plume on some soldier's uniforms, especially the hat or helmet. 7 Any flimsy substance unspun, such as raw silk. vb. 1 To dress (flax or hemp) with a hackle; to prepare fibres of flax or hemp for spinning. (from 17th c.) 2 (context transitive English) To separate, as the coarse part of flax or hemp from the fine, by drawing it through the teeth of a hackle or hatchel. 3 (context archaic transitive English) To tear asunder; to break into pieces.
WordNet
n. long slender feather on the necks of e.g. turkeys and pheasants
Wikipedia
The hackle is a clipped feather plume that is attached to a military headdress.
In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries the hackle is worn by some infantry regiments, especially those designated as fusilier regiments and those with Scottish and Northern Irish origins. The colour of the hackle varies from regiment to regiment.
The modern hackle has its origins in a much longer plume, originally referred to by its Scots name, 'heckle', which was commonly attached to the feather bonnet worn by Highland regiments (now usually only worn by drummers, pipers and bandsmen). The smaller version originated in a regimental emblem adopted by the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment to be worn in the sun helmet issued in hot-weather postings from the 1870s.
Hackle may refer to one of the following.
- Hackle, a feather plume attached to a headdress
- Hackle (animal), erectile plumage or hair in the neck area
- Hackle (wig making), a metal plate with rows of pointed needles used to blend or straighten hair
- a feather or feathers wrapped around the shank of a fishing hook of an artificial fly for fly fishing
A hackle is a metal plate with rows of pointed needles used to blend or straighten hair. This tool is used as a preliminary step in the process of custom wig making. It is typically clamped firmly to a table before use.
The pointed needles are very sharp. This is paramount, because the hackle is used for three main purposes: mixing or blending hairs in special blends of colours, untangling wigs or hair extensions, and preparing the hair in a single or double draw. For single drawn, we get rid of the shortest hairs in the bundle at the root area. For double drawn, what we do with the hackle is to draw one bundle in it, with each different lengths that is, separating their different lengths. Any double drawn (DD) hair tends to be far more expensive than any other hairs because for four ounces of DD we may have used over a kilogram of single drawn, especially long lengths. In DD, all hairs have the same length, typical wigs with DD hairs are Sheitels.
Hackles are also used in the preparation of flax for spinning.
Usage examples of "hackle".
These, though known for their valour and their breed, were whimpering in a cluster at the head of a deep dip or goyal, as we call it, upon the moor, some slinking away and some, with starting hackles and staring eyes, gazing down the narrow valley before them.
His first thought was of Kezankian hillmen, but then, as the hackles stood on the back of his neck, he knew it was the same invisible eyes he had felt that night with Karela, and again before Crato appeared.
Nobody greeted her, though one of the young men certainly looked her over with a thoroughness that raised Kyles hackles.
Crassus was sitting impassively, Catulus looked a little old and his brother-in-law Hortensius a little the worse for wear, Cato had his hackles up like an aggressive dog, Caesar was patting the top of his head to make sure his definitely thinning hair did hide his scalp, Murena undoubtedly chafed at the delay, and Silanus was not as fit and spry as his electioneering agents were insisting he was.
Hackle stared at the unkindled bonfire as if it were the very essence of his accusation, that grievance he meant to carry to Haffkraff in his death.
It was a stupid dog, could not even read an autocue, which way why some people had protested about its name, but it should at least have been able to recognize Arthur instead of standing there, hackles raised, as if Arthur was the most fearful apparition ever to intrude upon its feeble-witted life.
Daryth held the dogs silent, although their hackles bristled at the approach of the strangers.
Jackson linen mill, and Jamie watched in amazement the arduous labor, as the flax was hackled and scutched, and the peasant women toiled over great steaming kettles boiling the spun thread to purify it.
Some dogs lifted their heads to alert to danger, others sniffed or pointed with their noses in the direction of the noise or scent, and some raised the hackles on their backs when they suspected something ahead.
Instead they stood in the bed of their lorry and tossed sandbags and nervous glances at the Ridgeback as it paced the edge of our property line with a show of hackles and teeth and black gums.
He kept a wary eye on the Weimaraner bitch, who was watching them with her hackles up.
Unlike the Kappa Theta Etas, I was not haunted by the specter of a tainted reputation, but the thought of having to explain my presence at the Hideaway Haven was so chilling that goose bumps dotted my arms and whatever hackles I possessed rose on my neck.
That torque was slight, but dreadful in its scale and Hackle now began to run outright, shouldering fanatically forward through the stinging whiteouts, steering by glimpses of the portal-pit.
Two boys from different worlds, they had come face to face on the main fish wharf and their hostility had been instantaneous, their hackles rising like dogs, and within minutes, gibes and insults had turned to blows and they had flown at each other furiously, punching and wrestling down the wharf while the coloured trawlermen had egged them on delightedly.
The wail of the shaum and dronepipe sent shivery hackles up his spine—not Bardcraft, but close, close.