hackle (redirected from hackles)

get someone's dander up and get someone's back up; get someone's hackles up; get someone's Irish up; put someone's back up

Fig. to make someone get angry. (Fixed order.) Now, don't get your dander up. Calm down. I insulted him and really got his hackles up. Bob had his Irish up all day yesterday. I don't know what was wrong. Now, now, don't get your back up. I didn't mean any harm.

See also: get, up

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raise (somebody's) hackles  also make (somebody's) hackles rise

to annoy someone

Usage notes: Hackles are the hairs on the back of a dog's neck which stand up when it is angry.

The politician's frank interview may have raised hackles in his party. The movie's pro-war message made many people's hackles rise.

See also: raise

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raise your hackles

to annoy someone Jim could raise her hackles quickly, but she enjoyed being with him anyway.

Related vocabulary: make your hair stand on end

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of hackles (the hairs on the back of a dog’s neck that stick up when the dog fears something)

See also: raise