bristle
verb/ˈbrɪsəl/
Frequency rank: #16,401 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)
Meaning
to stiffen or stand up, as hair or fur does when an animal is frightened or angry.
Example sentence
The dog began to bristle when it heard a strange noise outside the door.
Synonyms & related words
More words in ranks 16,401–16,500
- bulkheada partition or wall dividing the interior of a ship, aircraft, or other structure into separate compartments.
- cashewa kidney-shaped nut from a tropical tree, often eaten as a snack or used in cooking.
- cavernousVery large, hollow, and cave-like in size or depth.
- chaffthe husks of grain separated from the seed during threshing; worthless matter.
- changeablelikely to change frequently; not staying the same.
- chaperonean adult who accompanies and supervises young people at a social event or trip.
- chlorophyllthe green pigment in plants that absorbs sunlight for photosynthesis.
- chromathe purity or intensity of a color, separate from its brightness.
- claretA dry red wine, originally from the Bordeaux region of France.
- cloisterA covered walkway with an open colonnade, typically found in a monastery or convent; also the monastery or convent itself.