n. [ OE. hechele, hekele; akin to D. hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. häkla, and prob. to E. hook. See Hook, and cf. Hackle, Heckle. ] An instrument with long iron teeth set in a board, for cleansing flax or hemp from the tow, hards, or coarse part; a kind of large comb; -- called also hackle and heckle. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Hatcheled or Hatchelled p. pr. & vb. n. Hatcheling or Hatchelling. ] [ OE. hechelen, hekelen; akin to D. hekelen, G. hecheln, Dan. hegle, Sw. häkla. See Hatchel, n. ] 1. To draw through the teeth of a hatchel, as flax or hemp, so as to separate the coarse and refuse parts from the fine, fibrous parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To tease; to worry; to torment. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who uses a hatchel. [ 1913 Webster ]