heckle

/'hekl/

Thân thiện

The comedian tried to ignore the rude heckle from the audience.

Definition

1. Verb:

   • To interrupt a speaker or performer with aggressive or challenging comments or questions: To heckle is to deliberately disturb a public speaker, performer, or event by shouting out disruptive remarks, often to express disagreement or to mock.
   • To comb or separate fibers (such as flax or hemp): This is a technical, historical meaning referring to the process of preparing fibers using a tool with metal teeth.

2. Noun:

   • A tool for combing flax or hemp fibers: A heckle is a comb-like implement, typically with long metal teeth, used to split and straighten the fibers of flax or hemp in preparation for spinning.

Examples of Usage

• Verb (to interrupt aggressively):
  • The comedian was used to being heckled by audience members.
  • Protesters tried to heckle the politician during his speech.
• Verb (to comb fibers):
  • In the traditional process, workers would heckle the flax to remove impurities.
• Noun (tool):
  • The museum displayed an antique heckle used in linen production.

Advanced Usage

• "To get/hear heckles": To receive or be subjected to heckling.
  • The band heard a few good-natured heckles from the crowd.
• "Heckle-free": Without any heckling.
  • The speaker hoped for a heckle-free evening.

Variants and Related Words

• Heckler (noun): A person who heckles.
  • The heckler was eventually escorted out of the theater.
• Heckling (noun): The act or sound of heckling.
  • The constant heckling made it difficult to hear the lecture.

Synonyms

• Verb (to interrupt): Barrack, jeer, taunt, bait, harass.
• Verb (to comb): Hatchel, comb, dress, prepare.
• Noun (tool): Hatchel, flax comb.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(Note: "Heckle" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The action is typically expressed simply as "heckle [someone]".)

Related Idioms

• "To give someone a heckling": To subject someone to a session of aggressive questioning or interruption.
  • The panel gave the controversial author a real heckling.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a comb for separating flax fibers

Verb

1. challenge aggressively
2. comb with a heckle
   • heckle hemp or flax

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hatchel
• hackle