Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Hatchel \Hatch"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Hatcheled} or
   {Hatchelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Hatcheling} or {Hatchelling}.]
   [OE. hechelen, hekelen; akin to D. hekelen, G. hecheln, Dan.
   hegle, Sw. h["a]kla. See {Hatchel}, n.]
   1. To draw through the teeth of a hatchel, as flax or hemp,
      so as to separate the coarse and refuse parts from the
      fine, fibrous parts.

   2. To tease; to worry; to torment. [Colloq.]

Hatchel \Hatch"el\ (?; 277), n. [OE. hechele, hekele; akin to D.
   hekel, G. hechel, Dan. hegle, Sw. h["a]kla, and prob. to E.
   hook. See {Hook}, and cf. {Hackle}, {Heckle}.]
   An instrument with long iron teeth set in a board, for
   cleansing flax or hemp from the tow, hards, or coarse part; a
   kind of large comb; -- called also {hackle} and {heckle}.

Source : WordNet®

hatchel
     n : a comb for separating flax fibers [syn: {heckle}]
     v : comb with a heckle; "heckle hemp or flax" [syn: {heckle}, {hackle}]
     [also: {hatchelling}, {hatchelled}]