hackles

Everyday

1. The hairs or feathers along the back of the neck of a dog, cat or bird that stand up when it is angry or frightened. tree →
2. To raise someone's hackles (or make their hackles rise) means to make them angry. tree →

In the lessons

In nature lessons about animal body language; in stories and everyday talk about people getting annoyed. Phrases: raise someone's hackles, her hackles rose, put someone's hackles up.

Examples

• The dog's hackles rose when it saw the fox. tree →
• Rude comments really raise my hackles. tree →
• The cat arched its back and its hackles stood up. tree →
• His bossy tone put my hackles up. tree →
• A cockerel's hackles are long shiny neck feathers. tree →
• Her hackles rose when someone called her a cheat. tree →

Note

Almost always plural: hackles. Used as an idiom about people: the hairs do not really rise. Related: get your back up.