noun. A comb for dressing flax: same as heckle, 1.

noun. Any flimsy substance unspun, as raw silk.

noun. One of the long slender feathers from the neck or saddle of the domestic cock, much used by anglers for making artificial flies.

noun. An artificial fly made without wings to represent a caterpillar or other larva, or the larva-like body of a winged fly; a palmer.

noun. In heraldry, same as bray, 2 .

noun. A conical covering of straw or hay, such as is used to thatch a beehive.

To hack roughly; haggle. See haggle.

noun. One of the long hairs which, when erected, form a crest along the neck and back of a dog.

To comb, as flax or hemp: same as heckle.

To tear asunder.

In angling, to dress (an artificial fly) with hackle.

transitive verb. To separate, as the coarse part of flax or hemp from the fine, by drawing it through the teeth of a hackle or hatchel.

transitive verb. To tear asunder; to break in pieces.

noun. A comb for dressing flax, raw silk, etc.; a hatchel.

noun. Any flimsy substance unspun, as raw silk.

noun. 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.

noun. An artificial fly for angling, made of feathers.

noun. A feather plume on some soldier's uniforms, especially the hat or helmet.

verb. To separate, as the coarse part of flax or hemp from the fine, by drawing it through the teeth of a hackle or hatchel.

verb. To tear asunder; to break into pieces.

verb. comb with a heckle

noun. long slender feather on the necks of e.g. turkeys and pheasants

"Making a generalized statement, the soft hackle is the most effective fly I have ever used in rivers for trout."

dun hackle  

hackled  hackling  

comb  

Spackle  cackle  crackle  grackle  jackal  

Jehu  belaying  bird of paradise  bootjack  bunched-up  

card  comb  covert  crest  curry  

hackled  hackles  hackling