Etymology Dictionary

HAGGLE (1),  to cut awkwardly, mangle.  (E.)   'York, all haggled over;' Hen. V, iv. 6. 11.   A weakened form of hack-le, the frequentative of hack, to cut.   See Hack (1).   Cf. Lowland Sc. hag, to hack.   And see below.

HAGGLE (2),  to be slow in making a bargain.  (E.)   Cotgrave explains O. F. harceler by 'to vex, harry,...also, to haggle, hucke, hedge, or paulter long in the buying of a commodity.'   He similarly explains barguigner by 'to chaffer,...dodge, haggle, brabble, in the making of a bargain.'   It is plain that higgle is a weakened form of the same word.   β. It seems probable that haggle stands for hackle, the frequentative of hack; see Hack (1).   The particular use of the word appears more plainly in Dutch.   Cf. Du. hakkelen, to mangle, to stammer; explained by Sewel as 'to hackle, mangle, faulter;' also Du. hakketeren, to wrangle, cavil; both derivatives of Du. hakken, to hack.   γ. Thus the word is ultimately the same as Haggle (1).   Der. haggl-er; and see higgle.