Bristling

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹɪs(ə)lɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Exhibiting a rigid and sharp appearance while also indicating a defensive or aggressive stance, along with a tendency for hair or fur to stand erect in reaction to perceived threats
2. Manifesting an erect, sharp look coupled with a posture suggestive of hostility or aggression, as well as a physical response where hair may rise due to fear or alertness
3. Having a stiff and prickly texture or aspect ; displaying a hostile or defensive attitude ; being covered densely with short sharp points or hairs

Etymology: The bristle on a pig's back and the stiff hair of a brush share a root that goes back to a Proto-Germanic word for bristle, "burstiz, which is also the ancestor of Dutch "borstel" and German "Borste," still meaning a boar's bristle. The English noun came from Old English "bristl" and "byrst," with a diminutive form ""brystl" hinting at a little bristle, and it was used for stiff hairs long before any human hair was described that way. The adjective "bristling" grows from the verb "bristle," which means to stand up stiffly, the way a dog's hackles or a cat's fur rise when it is alarmed. Hair that stands on end is exactly what the original image suggests, so the sense of being stiff and prickly follows naturally from the animal coat.

Synonyms: spiky, prickly, stiff, sharp, raised

Antonyms: smooth, calm, flat, soft, unruffled