hackle

hack·le ¹  (hkl)

n.

1. Any of the long, slender, often glossy feathers on the neck of a bird, especially a male domestic fowl.

2. hackles The erectile hairs along the back of the neck of an animal, especially of a dog.

3.

a. A tuft of cock feathers trimming an artificial fishing fly.

b. A hackle fly.

tr.v. hack·led, hack·ling, hack·les

To trim (an artificial fishing fly) with a hackle.

Idiom:

get (one's) hackles up

To be extremely insulted or irritated.

---

[Middle English hakell, cloak, skin, plumage, possibly from Old English hacele, cloak, mantle.]

---

hack·le ²  (hkl)

v. hack·led, hack·ling, hack·les

v.tr.

To chop roughly; mangle by hacking.

v.intr.

To hack.

---

[Frequentative of hack.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	hackle - long slender feather on the necks of e.g. turkeys and pheasants feather, plumage, plume - the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds saddle feather, saddle hackle - a long narrow feather on the back (saddle) of a domestic fowl
Verb	1.	hackle - comb with a heckle; "heckle hemp or flax" hatchel, heckle comb - straighten with a comb; "comb your hair"