1864, George Ripley and Charles Anderson Dana eds., The New American Cyclopædia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge VII: “Edward–Fueros†(New York: D. Appleton and Company, 443 & 445 Broadway; London: 16 Little Britain), ‘Flax’, page 554One end of the bundle being hatchelled, it is turned round, and the other is treated in the same way; and the process is repeated on finer hatchels.
Verb
(transitive) To separate (flax fibers) with a hatchel, or comb.
