(hak′əl) noun
1. One of the long narrow feathers on the neck of a cock, used by anglers in making artificial flies; also, a similar feather on other birds.
2. An artificial feather fly for angling: also hackle fly.
3. plural The erectile hairs on the neck and back of a dog: also spelled heckle.
4. A hatchel.
5. Unspun fiber, as raw silk.
—v.t. hack·led, hack·ling
1. To furnish (a fly) with a hackle.
2. To hatchel. [See HATCHEL]
—hack′ler noun

(hak′əl) v.t. & v.i. hack·led, hack·ling
To cut or chop roughly or crudely; mangle; hack. [Freq. of HACK¹]