hechel

flax comb

1 / 1

A hostile audience member leans forward and shouts toward a stage, interrupting a performer who has lowered her microphone and stopped mid-gesture.

verb

heckle

HEK-ul/ˈhekl/

To interrupt a speaker or performer with unwelcome comments.

Etymology

heckleMiddle Englishflax comb

The flax-comb noun, or a related Dutch verb, underlies the original sense of combing flax or hemp. The shift through severe questioning to hostile interruption presumably evokes rough treatment.

Full entry

Related word entries

heckle