heckle
HEK-uhl
/ˈhɛkəl/
To interrupt a public speaker, performer, or entertainer with derisive or aggressive comments, abuse, or questions.
Specifically associated with public performances, comedy shows, or political rallies, where the intent is to embarrass or challenge the speaker.
The story behind the word. In the medieval textile trade, a 'heckle' was a sharp-toothed comb used to split and clean flax fibers. The process of pulling rough fibers through these sharp teeth was called 'heckling.' Over time, the term shifted metaphorically to describe 'teasing' or 'combing through' a speaker's words with sharp, irritating questions.
Word relationships
- jeer: Jeer refers to making rude and mocking remarks generally, while heckling specifically targets a speaker or performer to disrupt them.
- taunt: Taunt involves provoking someone with insults, but does not necessarily imply trying to disrupt a public performance.
- cheer: To shout support or praise for a performer or speaker.
- applaud: To show approval by clapping, maintaining respectful silence during the speech.
Commonly confused with
- hassle: Hassle means to annoy or harass someone with repeated requests, whereas heckle is specifically shouting disruptions at a speaker.
Word family
- heckler (noun): A person who heckles a speaker or performer.
- heckling (noun): The act of shouting disruptive comments.
Collocations
- heckle a speaker
- heckle from the crowd
- relentlessly heckle
Example sentences
- "A small group of protestors began to heckle the candidate during her opening remarks." A news report describing a tense political campaign event.
Memory hook
Imagine a heckler's words as sharp needles ('heckle' sounds like 'prickle') sticking into the speaker. Sharp words that comb through a speech.
When not to use
Do not use for polite, constructive questions asked during a Q&A session; use 'query' or 'ask' instead.
Fun facts
- In 19th-century Scotland, flax-dressers (known as 'hecklers') were famous for their radical politics and would loudly debate and interrupt readers during work hours, cementing the modern meaning of the word.
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