hackle1

[hak-uh l] /ˈhæk əl/
noun
1.
one of the long, slender feathers on the neck or saddle of certain birds, as the domestic rooster, much used in making artificial flies for anglers.
2.
the neck plumage of a male bird, as the domestic rooster.
3.
hackles.
  1. the erectile hair on the back of an animal's neck:
    At the sound of footsteps, the dog raised her hackles.
  2. anger, especially when aroused in a challenging or challenged manner:
    with one's hackles up.
4.
Angling.
  1. the legs of an artificial fly made with feathers from the neck or saddle of a rooster or other such bird.
  2. hackle fly.
5.
a comb for dressing flax or hemp.
verb (used with object), hackled, hackling.
6.
Angling. to equip with a hackle.
7.
to comb, as flax or hemp.
Idioms
8.
raise one's hackles, to arouse one's anger:
Such officiousness always raises my hackles.
Also, hatchel, heckle (for defs 5, 7).
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English hakell; see heckle
Related forms
hackler, noun

hackle2

[hak-uh l] /ˈhæk əl/
verb (used with object), hackled, hackling.
1.
to cut roughly; hack; mangle.
Origin
1570-80; hack1 + -le; cognate with Middle Dutch hakkelen
Examples from the web for hackles
  • Android skins have raised the hackles of some smartphone enthusiasts.
  • But it doesn't appear to have raised the hackles of even those senators who are opposed to some of the other provisions.
  • When people approach, the adult dogs raise their hackles and snarl threateningly.
  • Not surprisingly, the new findings have raised hackles.
  • Though the program was limited, it raised privacy hackles.
  • Tougher language requirements at other points of the process are already raising hackles.
  • Perhaps they are, but some of the team's ill-considered actions have raised the hackles of privacy watchdogs and policymakers.
  • As it happens, the airport is already preoccupied with a more local problem that has raised a lot of hackles.
  • Talk of the latter always raised hackles but the alternative could be worse.
  • If its ears are laid back and hackles are up it is likely to charge.
British Dictionary definitions for hackles

hackles

/ˈhækəlz/
plural noun
1.
the hairs on the back of the neck and the back of a dog, cat, etc, which rise when the animal is angry or afraid
2.
anger or resentment (esp in the phrases get one's hackles up, make one's hackles rise)

hackle

/ˈhækəl/
noun
1.
any of the long slender feathers on the necks of poultry and other birds
2.
(angling)
  1. parts of an artificial fly made from hackle feathers, representing the legs and sometimes the wings of a real fly
  2. short for hackle fly
3.
a feathered ornament worn in the headdress of some British regiments
4.
a steel flax comb
verb (transitive)
5.
to comb (flax) using a hackle
See also hackles
Derived Forms
hackler, noun
Word Origin
C15: hakell, probably from Old English; variant of heckle; see hatchel
Word Origin and History for hackles

hackle

n.

Old English hacele "cloak, mantle" (cf. Old High German hachul, Gothic hakuls "cloak;" Old Norse hekla "hooded frock"). 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.

Idioms and Phrases with hackles

hackles

see: raise someone's hackles