hackle
noun
[ ˈhak(ə)l ]
• erectile hairs along an animal's back, which rise when it is angry or alarmed.
• "the dog continued to growl, its hackles raised"
• a long, narrow feather on the neck or saddle of a domestic cock or other bird.
• a steel comb for dressing flax.
hackle
verb
• dress or comb (flax) with a hackle.
• "taking each section separately the student should lightly hackle the extreme ends"
Origin:
late Middle English (in hackle (sense 2 of the noun)): variant of hatchel.
