bristle
Noun · VerbWordNet 3.0
Noun (2)
- a stiff fiber (coarse hair or filament); natural or synthetic
- a stiff hair
Verb (4)
- be in a state of movement or action“The room abounded with screaming children”“The garden bristled with toddlers”Synonyms: aboundburst
- rise up as in fear“The dog's fur bristled”“It was a sight to make one's hair uprise!”Synonyms: uprisestand up
- have or be thickly covered with or as if with bristles“bristling leaves”
- react in an offended or angry manner“He bristled at her suggestion that he should teach her how to use the program”
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Bristle \Bris"tle\, v. i.
1.To rise or stand erect, like bristles. [1913 Webster]
His hair did bristle upon his head.— Sir W. Scott.[1913 Webster]
2.To appear as if covered with bristles; to have standing, thick and erect, like bristles. [1913 Webster]
The hill of La Haye Sainte bristling with ten thousand bayonets.— Thackeray.[1913 Webster]
Ports bristling with thousands of masts.— Macaulay.[1913 Webster]
3.To show defiance or indignation. [1913 Webster]
To bristle up, to show anger or defiance. [1913 Webster]
Bristle \Bris"tle\ (br[i^]s"s'l), n. [OE. bristel, brustel, AS. bristl, byrst; akin to D. borstel, OHG. burst, G. borste, Icel. burst, Sw. borst, and to Skr. bh[.r]shti edge, point, and prob, L. fastigium extremity, Gr. 'a`flaston stern of a ship, and E. brush, burr, perh. to brad. [root]96.]
1.A short, stiff, coarse hair, as on the back of swine. [1913 Webster]
2.(Bot.) A stiff, sharp, roundish hair. --Gray. [1913 Webster]
1.To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the bristles of an angry hog; -- sometimes with up. [1913 Webster]
Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Boy, bristle thy courage up.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
2.To fix a bristle to; as, to bristle a thread. [1913 Webster]