Hatch"el [OE. hechele, hekele; akin to D. hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. hakla, 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.

 

© Webster 1913.


Hatch"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Hatcheled or Hatchelled (); p. pr. & vb. n. Hatcheling or Hatchelling.] [OE. hechelen, hekelen; akin to D. hekelen, G. hecheln, Dan. hegle, Sw. hakla. 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.]

 

© Webster 1913.