A comb for separating flax fibers.

synonym: hatchel.

Roget 253: sharpness etc. adj.; acuity, acumination^†; spinosity^†.    point, spike, spine, spicule [Biol.], spiculum^†; needle, hypodermic needle, tack, nail, pin; prick, prickle; spur, rowel, barb; spit, cusp; horn, antler; snag; tag thorn, bristle; Adam's needle^†, bear grass [U.S.], tine, yucca.    nib, tooth, tusk; spoke, cog, ratchet.    crag, crest, arete [Fr.], cone peak, sugar loaf, pike, aiguille^†; spire, pyramid, steeple.    beard, chevaux de frise [Fr.], porcupine, hedgehog, brier, bramble, thistle; comb; awn, beggar's lice, bur, burr, catchweed^†, cleavers, clivers^†, goose, grass, hairif^†, hariff, flax comb, hackle, hatchel^†, heckle.    wedge; knife edge, cutting edge; blade, edge tool, cutlery, knife, penknife, whittle, razor, razor blade, safety razor, straight razor, electric razor; scalpel; bistoury^†, lancet; plowshare, coulter, colter^†; hatchet, ax, pickax, mattock, pick, adze, gill; billhook, cleaver, cutter; scythe, sickle; scissors, shears, pruning shears, cutters, wire cutters, nail clipper, paper cutter; sword etc. (arms) 727; bodkin etc. (perforator) 262; belduque^†, bowie knife^†, paring knife; bushwhacker [U.S.]; drawing knife, drawing shave; microtome [Micro.]; chisel, screwdriver blade; flint blade; guillotine.    sharpener, hone, strop; grindstone, whetstone; novaculite^†; steel, emery.    ... show more

Comb with a heckle:
— Heckle hemp or flax.

synonyms: hackle, hatchel.

Roget 830: cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain etc. 828; pain, hurt, wound.    pinch, prick, gripe etc. (physical pain) 378; pierce, lancinate^†, cut.    hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings; wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart; make the heart bleed; tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings; draw tears from the eyes.    sadden; make unhappy etc. 828; plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash^†, afflict, distress; cut up, cut to the heart.    displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet; faze, feaze^†, feeze [U.S.]; disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret^†, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune.    wring, harrow, torment, torture; bullyrag; put to the rack, put to the question; break on the wheel, rack, scarify; cruciate^†, crucify; convulse, agonize; barb the dart; plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side.    irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall; sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick; aggrieve, affront, enchafe^†, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper; give offense etc. (resentment) 900.    maltreat, bite, snap at, assail; smite etc. (punish) 972.    sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils; go against the stomach, turn the stomach; make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear; stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard; rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal^†, appall, freeze the blood; make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end; make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold; make one shudder.    haunt the memory; weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits; bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave; add a nail to one's coffin.    ... show more

Challenge aggressively.