bristle

noun
UK: /ˈbrɪsəl/
US: /ˈbrɪsəl/

  1. A short, stiff hair or fiber, usually on an animal or a brush.

    1. The brush has a handle and many bristle.
    2. The old brush's bristles were falling out all the time.

  2. Any of the stiff hairs on the back of an animal, especially a pig.

    1. The dog's bristle was coarse to the touch.
    2. When the cat got scared, you could see the bristle on its back.

Synonyms

react thorn spine take offense projection
bristle intransitive-verb

  1. To stand upright and stiff, like short, coarse hairs.

    1. The dog's fur bristle when it saw the cat.
    2. His hair began to bristle with terror because of the loud noise.

  2. To react defensively, typically with anger or annoyance.

    1. He will bristle at any suggestion of criticism.
    2. She bristled at the insinuation that she was not competent.
bristle transitive-verb

  1. To cause to stand upright or become stiff.

    1. The cat can bristle its fur when scared.
    2. Fear can bristle the hairs on the back of your neck.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "bristle" in English means: A short, stiff hair or fiber, usually on an animal or a brush., Any of the stiff hairs on the back of an animal, especially a pig..

The phonetic transcription of "bristle" is /ˈbrɪsəl/ in British English and /ˈbrɪsəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "bristle": react, thorn, spine, take offense, projection.

Example usage of "bristle": "The brush has a handle and many bristle.". More examples on the page.