hatchel

Hatch"el, n. Etym: [OE. hechele, hekele; akin to D. hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. häkla, and prob. to E. hook. See Hook, and cf. Hackle, Heckle.] Defn: 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. Hatch"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hatcheled or Hatchelled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Hatcheling or Hatchelling.] Etym: [OE. hechelen, hekelen; akin to D. hekelen, G. hecheln, Dan. hegle, Sw. häkla. 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. 2. To tease; to worry; to torment. [Colloq.]

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