Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hek(k)il(l, v. Also: heckle, hecle. [ME. hekelyn (c 1440), f. Hek(k)il(ln.] tr. To dress (flax or hemp) with a hackle. b. To scratch, as with a hackle. c. intr. To argue, wrangle. d. fig. ? To discuss or go over (a subject of discussion, line of argument). e. fig. ? To scold severely, speak sharply or rudely to, (as in the mod. dial.). a1500 Henr. Fab. 1821.
The carll … swingillit it [flax] weill, and hekkillit [B. heclit it] in the flet 1609 Dundonald Par. Rec. 185.
To … hekill lint on the Sabathb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 107.
With his hard hurcheone skyn sa heklis [M. heclis] he my chekisc. 1600-1610 Melvill 416.
Ther they hecled on … mikle of a large hourd. 1658 R. Moray Lett. Feb. 12/22.
You do not so much as promise you will heckle them [discourses] over again, and would not that gar a man stick his own mare?e. 1678 Cleland 8.
Next with blasphemie and rude speeches New coin'd scurvies vex the leidges, Ladies heckl'd and lords horn'd, Some for lending money scorned