bristle

Everyday

1. A short, stiff hair, like the hairs on a toothbrush, a brush or a pig's back. tree →
2. (verb) When an animal's hair or fur stands up stiffly because it is scared or angry. tree →
3. (verb) To suddenly show you are annoyed or offended. tree →
4. «bristle with» means to be full of or covered with many things. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and hygiene it is the bristles of a toothbrush or hairbrush. With animals, a cat or dog bristles when it feels threatened — a warning sign to keep away. In stories it shows a character getting angry. Phrases: «soft bristles», «bristle at», «bristle with».

Examples

• My toothbrush has soft bristles. tree →
• Change your toothbrush when the bristles get bent. tree →
• The cat's fur bristled when the big dog came near. tree →
• A hedgehog's back is covered in stiff spines, not soft bristles. tree →
• Paint brushes have bristles made of hair or plastic. tree →
• Dad bristled when someone called him lazy. tree →
• The old castle wall bristled with arrows. tree →
• If a dog's back hair bristles, give it space. tree →
• There sat Gray Brother, every bristle on his back lifted. tree →

Note

Countable noun: one bristle, many bristles. The «t» is silent: say «BRISS-ul». A dog with bristling fur is scared or angry, not happy — do not try to pet it.