hackles

Noun

hackle (countable and uncountable, plural hackles)

1. An instrument with steel pins used to comb out flax or hemp.

   Synonyms:

   heckle, hatchel

2. (in plural, usually) One of the long, narrow feathers on the neck of birds, most noticeable on the rooster.
3. A feather used to make a fishing lure or a fishing lure incorporating a feather.
4. (in plural, usually) By extension (because the hackles of a rooster are lifted when it is angry), the hair on the nape of the neck in dogs and other animals; also used figuratively for humans.
   • When the dog got angry, his hackles rose and he growled.
5. A type of jagged crack extending inwards from the broken surface of a fractured material.
6. A plate with rows of pointed needles used to blend or straighten hair.

See all 12 meanings of hackle