Idioms

bristle

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bristle at (something)

To show sudden displeasure or anger at some provocation. I bristled at the suggestion that I trade offices with someone else in the department. He bristled at our criticism of his novel and stormed out of the room. Joey's very sensitive, so I'm not surprised he bristled at your teasing.
See also: bristle

bristle with anger

To react with sudden anger. I bristled with anger when I found out that we had lost the deal. We were only trying to give him constructive criticism of his novel, but he bristled with anger and stormed out of the room. Joey's very sensitive, so I'm not surprised he bristled with anger when you guys started teasing him.
See also: anger, bristle

bristle with indignation

To react with sudden anger or resentment. I bristled with indignation when she suggested that I let her take over the project. We were only trying to give him constructive criticism of his novel, but he bristled with indignation and stormed out of the room. I tried to get Becky to switch offices with you, but she bristled with indignation at the very suggestion.
See also: bristle, indignation

bristle with rage

To show sudden anger. I bristled with rage when I saw that someone had hit my car overnight. You need to be careful here—if she thinks you're questioning her parenting, she'll definitely bristle with rage. Of course I bristled with rage when Jon accused me of stealing money from the cash register!
See also: bristle, rage
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

bristle at something

Fig. to show sudden anger or other negative response to something. (Alludes to a dog or cat raising the hair on its back in anger or as a threat.) She bristled at the suggestion. I knew Lily would bristle at the appearance of Max.
See also: bristle

bristle with rage

 and bristle with anger; bristle with indignation
Fig. to demonstrate one's anger, rage, or displeasure with a strong negative response. (Alludes to a dog or cat raising the hair on its back in anger or as a threat.) She was just bristling with anger. I don't know what set her off. Walter bristled with rage as he saw the damage to his new car.
See also: bristle, rage
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive
Morgan said: "Past research at the zoo found that certain baboons floss using their own hair and bristles from broom heads.
Flossing becomes monkey business
* Joseph Joseph took home a gia award for its "d-shaped" Flex toilet brush with spaced bristles that prevent dirt clogging, allow liquid to drain quickly and minimize drips between cleaning and storing.
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Bristles are never exactly the same length and surfaces are never completely smooth.
Daft as a Brush
Key words: bacterial contamination, charcoal bristles, used toothbrushes
Comparison of bacterial contamination in bristles of charcoal toothbrushes versus non-charcoal toothbrushes
At the same time, elastic deformation of the bristle projection vector moved along the path of [mathematical expression not reproducible] to the path [mathematical expression not reproducible].
Modeling Friction Performance of Drill String Torsional Oscillation Using Dynamic Friction Model
The sudden bending and recovery movement, or flop, of a bristle group seems less likely to be a passive response, since it occurs only rarely and without detectable accompanying changes in ciliary activity or mechanical disturbances.
Novel structures associated with presumed photoreceptors in the aboral sense organ of ctenophores
Bristle Ridge will have a premier residential address in Baguio City, being strategically located on Pacdal Road which is near tourist spots, markets, institutions and other commercial establishments.
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The well-designed synthetic bristles make it easy to achieve a professional finish with waterbased paints.
do it yourself
Collins said, “As a representative for Shelter Management Group, the premier community managementcompany in Las Vegas for Home Owners Associations and developments, SMG wishes to welcome Ryland Homes Community, Bristle Falls to our family of properly overseen and managed properties.”
Shelter Management Welcomes New Ryland Homes Community, Bristle Falls
Make sure the heads of the bristles are absolutely flat.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW... when you buy a new toothbrush
In conclusion, the noninferiority of the prototype to the standard toothbrush in removing plaque suggests its applicability on the mouth of patients, and its superiority in the presence of anomalies suggests that every single bristle group could reach the dental surface, even under difficult oral-hygiene conditions.
A laboratory based investigation of a new elastic toothbrush head
Two pairs of reclinate fronto-orbital bristles, anterior bristle slightly shorter than posterior bristle, and placed closer to posterior bristle than to anterior edge of frons.
A new genus of lauxaniid fly from South Africa (Diptera: Acalyptratae: Lauxaniidae), associated with proteas (Proteaceae)
Five more patients visited the ED during August 2011--June 2012 after inadvertent ingestion of a wire bristle that had become dislodged from a grill-cleaning brush and embedded in food.
Injuries from ingestion of wire bristles from grill-cleaning brushes--Providence, Rhode Island, March 2011-June 2012
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