heckle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to interrupt a speaker or performer with derisive comments

   A few drunks tried to heckle the comedian off the stage.

From Middle English hekelen ('to comb flax with a hatchel'), a frequentative related to hackle; the sense of badgering a speaker arose from the figurative idea of 'combing over' someone roughly.

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