Bristle — Defs

01 n. A short, stiff, coarse hair, as on the back of swine.

02 v. t. To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the bristles of an angry hog; -- sometimes with up.

imp. & p. p. Bristled; p. pr. & vb. n. Bristling

1.
To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the bristles of an angry hog; -- sometimes with up.
“Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest.” — Shak.

“Boy, bristle thy courage up.” — Shak.
2.
To fix a bristle to; as, to bristle a thread.

03 v. i. To rise or stand erect, like bristles.

1.
To rise or stand erect, like bristles.
“His hair did bristle upon his head.” — Sir W. Scott.
2.
To appear as if covered with bristles; to have standing, thick and erect, like bristles.
“The hill of La Haye Sainte bristling with ten thousand bayonets.” — Thackeray.

“Ports bristling with thousands of masts.” — Macaulay.
3.
To show defiance or indignation.

Phrases & compounds

To bristle up — to show anger or defiance.