BRISTLE Meaning and
Definition
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Bristle is a verb that refers to the rapid and involuntary reaction of one's body or a particular part of the body to a stimulus, resulting in a stiffening or standing up of the hair, fur, or feathers. It typically occurs as a result of fear, anger, cold, or excitement. When an individual bristles, their bodies exhibit a physical response in which the hair follicles or feathers expand or straighten, causing a prickly or spiky appearance.
Additionally, bristle can also be used metaphorically to describe a person's reaction or response to a particular situation. In this sense, bristle portrays a strong and immediate defensive reaction, usually arising from annoyance, irritation, or indignation towards something or someone. It is often characterized by stiffening or tensing of the body and a confrontational attitude towards the perceived offense.
As a noun, bristle refers to any of the stiff, pointed hairs that grow on the skin or outer surface of an animal, plant, or object. These rigid hairs are often found on animals such as hogs, boars, porcupines, or certain plants, and act as a form of protection or defense mechanism. In this context, bristles are typically coarse and firm.
Overall, whether used as a verb or a noun, bristle conveys the idea of a sudden, rigid, and often hostile reaction to an external stimulus, which can manifest physically or metaphorically.
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• The stiff hair on the backs of swine, particularly wild boars; any stiff hair.
• To stand erect as bristles; to strut about with head erect in anger or defiance.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for BRISTLE *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for BRISTLE
Etymology of BRISTLE
The word "bristle" originated from the Old English word "byrstels", which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "burst(i)laz". This Proto-Germanic term, in turn, is linked to the Proto-Indo-European root word "*bʰors-" meaning "pointed". The word "bristle" initially referred to the stiff hairs on the back of a wild boar or other similar animals, and eventually extended to include human hair as well.
Idioms with the word BRISTLE
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bristle with rage
The idiom "bristle with rage" means to be furious or extremely angry. It describes someone's reaction when they become visibly tense or agitated due to intense feelings of anger or outrage. It often implies a physical reaction, such as tense muscles or hair standing on end, resembling the way a bristle brush looks when it stands upright.
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bristle at sth
To "bristle at something" means to react with anger, irritation, or defiance towards it. This idiom suggests a strong and immediate negative reaction, often accompanied by displaying signs of defensiveness or aggression, like a bristling animal.
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bristle at (something)
The idiom "bristle at (something)" means to react defensively or angrily to something, often due to feeling offended, irritated, or threatened by it. It describes a strong negative emotional response that causes someone to become tense or agitated.
Similar spelling words for BRISTLE
- bristol,
- brister,
- braised,
- breastless,
- brost,
- bristled,
- Brewster,
- bruised,
- rustle,
- Bristow,
- breast,
- breastpin,
- brest,
- brissette,
- brushed,
- brust,
- Bresett,
- breast-fed,
- brisket,
- brittler,
- bressette,
- breasted,
- brittle,
- Bractlet,
- bristle up,
- bract,
- breastbone,
- bristles,
- bridle,
- bristly,
- bruster,
- breastfeed,
- bristle at.
Conjugate verb Bristle
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have bristled
you
would have bristled
he/she/it
would have bristled
we
would have bristled
they
would have bristled
I
would have bristle
you
would have bristle
he/she/it
would have bristle
we
would have bristle
they
would have bristle
CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE
I
would have been bristling
you
would have been bristling
he/she/it
would have been bristling
we
would have been bristling
they
would have been bristling
CONDITIONAL PRESENT
I
would bristle
you
would bristle
he/she/it
would bristle
we
would bristle
they
would bristle
CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE
I
would be bristling
you
would be bristling
he/she/it
would be bristling
we
would be bristling
they
would be bristling
FUTURE
I
will bristle
you
will bristle
he/she/it
will bristle
we
will bristle
they
will bristle
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be bristling
you
will be bristling
he/she/it
will be bristling
we
will be bristling
they
will be bristling
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have bristled
you
will have bristled
he/she/it
will have bristled
we
will have bristled
they
will have bristled
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been bristling
you
will have been bristling
he/she/it
will have been bristling
we
will have been bristling
they
will have been bristling
IMPERATIVE
we
Let's bristle
you
bristle
we
let´s bristle
to bristle
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was bristling
you
were bristling
he/she/it
was bristling
we
were bristling
they
were bristling
PAST PARTICIPLE
bristled
PAST PERFECT
I
had bristled
you
had bristled
he/she/it
had bristled
we
had bristled
they
had bristled
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been bristling
you
had been bristling
he/she/it
had been bristling
we
had been bristling
they
had been bristling
PRESENT
I
bristle
you
bristle
he/she/it
bristles
we
bristle
they
bristle
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am bristling
you
are bristling
he/she/it
is bristling
we
are bristling
they
are bristling
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
bristling
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have bristled
you
have bristled
he/she/it
has bristled
we
have bristled
they
have bristled
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been bristling
you
have been bristling
he/she/it
has been bristling
we
have been bristling
they
have been bristling
PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
he/she/it
bristle
SIMPLE PAST
I
bristled
you
bristled
he/she/it
bristled
we
bristled
they
bristled
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