noun
1 comb for preparing flax for spinning
2 long neck feathers of a cock etc
3 severe beating
4 sharp criticism
5 person who attacks or criticises
6 ornamental feathers worn in the bonnets of certain Scottish regiments
7 to be on heckle-pins to be in suspense or on tenterhooks
verb
1 to prepare flax with a comb
2 to speak sharply (to); to scold severely