set up one's bristles

verb

To bristle; to react in a defensive and bad-tempered manner.

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Meanings

verbset up one's bristles (third-person singular simple present sets up one's bristles, present participle setting up one's bristles, simple past and past participle set up one's bristles)

present singular third person sets up one's bristles · participle present setting up one's bristles

  1. To bristle; to react in a defensive and bad-tempered manner.
Cite this entry
APA

set up one's bristles. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20up%20one's%20bristles

MLA

“set up one's bristles.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20up%20one's%20bristles. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “set up one's bristles,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/set%20up%20one's%20bristles.

Source: set up one's bristles on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.