intransitive verb. 1a : to rise and stand stiffly erect quills bristling. b : to raise the bristles (as in anger) a snarling, bristling dog. 2 : to take on an aggressively defensive attitude (as in response to a slight or criticism) he bristled at the accusations of corruption.

What does bristle mean?

A bristle is a stiff hair — the kind men shave off their face or the kind badgers have all over. Bristle also means to get angry. ... A common word associated with bristle is hackle, another name for such erectile animal hairs. Thus the saying "to get one's hackles up," which is pretty much identical to bristling.

What does bristling look like?

Bristling means thick, hairy, and rough. It is used to describe things such as mustaches, beards, or eyebrows. ... a bristling white mustache.