bristle Definition

bristle
noun

1. A short stiff hair on an animal or plant.
2. Something similar to this but man-made, used eg for brushes.

verb bristled, bristling

tr & intr
1. Said of an animal's or a person's hair: to stand upright and stiff.
intr
2. To show obvious anger or rage, etc.

Example: bristling with resentment
Form: bristle with something (usually)
intr
3. To be covered or closely-packed with (upright objects).

Example: a room bristling with people
Thesaurus: swarm with, abound with, teem with, be thick with, be alive with, crawl with.
Form: bristle with something (usually)

Derivative: bristled
adj

Derivative: bristling
adj

Said of a beard or eyebrows, etc: thick and rough.

Etymology: 14c as brustel, from Anglo-Saxon byrst.