different between eckle vs heckle

English

Alternative forms

• eccle

Etymology 1

From a variation of ickle (“icicle”), from Middle English ikil, ykle, from Old English ?icel (“ice, icicle”), from Proto-Germanic *jikilaz, *jekulaz (“piece of ice”), from Proto-Indo-European *h?eyH- (“icefloe, icicle”). More at ickle.

Noun

eckle (plural eckles)

1. (dialectal) An icicle.
2. (dialectal, usually in the plural) The crest of a cock.
3. (dialectal) A woodpecker.

Etymology 2

Alteration of ettle.

Verb

eckle (third-person singular simple present eckles, present participle eckling, simple past and past participle eckled)

1. (intransitive, Northern England) To aim; intend; design.

Anagrams

• Cleek, Eckel, cleek

English

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-Germanic *hakil?n?. Related to hackle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?k?l/
• Rhymes: -?k?l

Verb

heckle (third-person singular simple present heckles, present participle heckling, simple past and past participle heckled)

1. (transitive) To question harshly in an attempt to find or reveal weaknesses. [from later 18th c.]
2. (transitive) To insult, tease, make fun of or badger.

   Promise that you won't heckle me after my performance.

3. (textiles) To prepare flax for spinning using special combs called hackles

Synonyms

(prepare flax for spinning): hackle

Related terms

• heckler
• heckling

Translations

Noun

heckle (plural heckles)

1. Alternative form of hackle (“tool for separating flax”)
2. The long shining feathers on a cock's neck.
3. A feather ornament in the full-dress bonnets of Highland regiments.

Anagrams

• Heckel