bristly

bristly
bristle NOUN 1) a short, stiff hair on an animal's skin or a man's face. 2) a stiff animal or artificial hair, used to make a brush.
VERB 1) (of hair or fur) stand upright away from the skin. 2) react angrily or defensively. 3) (bristle with) be covered with or abundant in.
DERIVATIVES bristly adjective.
ORIGIN Old English.

English terms dictionary. 2015.

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  • Bristly — Bris tly, a. Thick set with bristles, or with hairs resembling bristles; rough. [1913 Webster] The leaves of the black mulberry are somewhat bristly. Bacon. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bristly — 1590s, from BRISTLE (Cf. bristle) + Y (Cf. y) (2). Figurative sense is recorded from 1872 …   Etymology dictionary

  • bristly — [bris′lē] adj. bristlier, bristliest 1. having bristles; rough with bristles 2. bristlelike; prickly bristliness n …   English World dictionary

  • bristly — [[t]brɪ̱sli[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n Bristly hair is thick and rough. His bristly red hair was standing on end. Syn: stubbly 2) ADJ GRADED If a man s chin is bristly, it is covered with bristles because he has not shaved recently. He lifted… …   English dictionary

  • bristly — UK [ˈbrɪslɪ] / US adjective Word forms bristly : adjective bristly comparative bristlier superlative bristliest a) bristly hair is short and rough b) bristly skin has short rough hair on it …   English dictionary

  • bristly — adjective (bristlier; est) Date: 1589 1. a. thickly set with bristles < a bristly shrub > b. consisting of or resembling bristles < a bristly mustache > 2. inclined to or showing …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • bristly — bris|tly [ˈbrısli] adj 1.) bristly hair is short and stiff 2.) a bristly part of your body has short stiff hairs on it ▪ a bristly chin …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bristly — bris|tly [ brısli ] adjective bristly hair is short and rough: a bristly mustache a. bristly skin has short rough hair on it …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bristly — adjective 1 bristly hair is short and stiff 2 a bristly part of your body has short stiff hairs on it: a bristly chin …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • bristly — adjective 1) bristly little bushes Syn: prickly, spiky, thorny, scratchy, brambly 2) the bristly skin of his cheek Syn: stubbly, hairy, fuzzy, unshaven, whiskered, whiskery; scratchy …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • bristly — bristliness, n. /bris lee/, adj., bristlier, bristliest. 1. covered or rough with bristles. 2. like or resembling bristles. 3. easily antagonized; irascible: a bristly person with few friends. [1585 95; BRISTLE + Y1] * * * …   Universalium

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