Word
abristle
Phoneticsabris·tle
Definition
v. to stand up straight and stiff, like the hairs on an animal's back when it is angry or scared.
v. to stand upright and stiffly, typically as a result of anger, fear, or excitement. Often describes the bristles of a brush or the hairs on an animal's skin.
Examples
“The cat's fur stood abristle as it hissed at the stranger.”
“The old brush was so worn that the bristles stood abristle and could no longer hold the paint.”
“The hikers watched in awe as the wind caused the tall grass to stand abristle, creating a shimmering wall of green that seemed to breathe with the storm.”
Examples
simple
“The cat's fur stood abristle as it hissed at the stranger.”
contextual
“The old brush was so worn that the bristles stood abristle and could no longer hold the paint.”
complex
“The hikers watched in awe as the wind caused the tall grass to stand abristle, creating a shimmering wall of green that seemed to breathe with the storm.”