bristle

[bris-uh l] /ˈbrɪs əl/
noun
1.
one of the short, stiff, coarse hairs of certain animals, especially hogs, used extensively in making brushes.
2.
anything resembling these hairs.
verb (used without object), bristled, bristling.
3.
to stand or rise stiffly, like bristles.
4.
to erect the bristles, as an irritated animal (often followed by up):
The hog bristled up.
5.
to become rigid with anger or irritation:
The man bristled when I asked him to move.
6.
to be thickly set or filled with something suggestive of bristles:
The plain bristled with bayonets. The project bristled with difficulties.
7.
to be visibly roused or stirred (usually followed by up).
verb (used with object), bristled, bristling.
8.
to erect like bristles:
The rooster bristled his crest.
9.
to furnish with a bristle or bristles.
10.
to make bristly.
Origin
before 1000; Middle English bristel, equivalent to brist (Old English byrst bristle, cognate with German Borste, Old Norse burst) + -el diminutive suffix
Related forms
bristleless, adjective
bristlelike, adjective
nonbristled, adjective
unbristled, adjective
Examples from the web for bristle
  • In this clothe yourself so that your hair may keep still and not bristle and stand upon end all over your body.
  • Use a natural bristle brush to apply oil-based polyurethane, and a synthetic bristle brush for water-based polyurethane.
  • Some scientists might bristle at that business model.
  • Senior police officers continued to bristle at government criticism that they reacted poorly to the disorder.
  • Water cannons bristle off the bow and the aft helicopter deck.
  • The bristle tips are grappling hooks that become fastened to the ant's hairs.
  • Scrub the surface with a stiff bristle brush and rinse.
  • He figured it would be excellent bristle material if it could be drawn fine enough.
  • He opened his bag and flourished his outfit with a bristle of sequins.
  • Their products bristle with state-of-the-art technology.
British Dictionary definitions for bristle

bristle

/ˈbrɪsəl/
noun
1.
any short stiff hair of an animal or plant
2.
something resembling these hair: toothbrush bristle
verb
3.
when intr, often foll by up. to stand up or cause to stand up like bristles: the angry cat's fur bristled
4.
(intransitive) sometimes foll by up. to show anger, indignation, etc: she bristled at the suggestion
5.
(intransitive) to be thickly covered or set: the target bristled with arrows
6.
(intransitive) to be in a state of agitation or movement: the office was bristling with activity
7.
(transitive) to provide with a bristle or bristles
Derived Forms
bristly, adjective
Word Origin
C13 bristil, brustel, from earlier brust, from Old English byrst; related to Old Norse burst, Old High German borst
Word Origin and History for bristle
n.

Old English byrst "bristle," with metathesis of -r-, from Proto-Germanic *bursti- (cf. Middle Dutch borstel, German borste), from PIE *bhrsti- from root *bhars- "point, bristle" (cf. Sanskrit bhrstih "point, spike"). With -el, diminutive suffix.

v.

c.1200 (implied in past participle adjective bristled) "set or covered with bristles," from bristle (n.). Meaning "become angry or excited" is 1540s, from the way animals show fight. Related: Bristling.