from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
bristled
adj 1: having or covered with protective barbs or quills or
spines or thorns or setae etc.; "a horse with a short
bristly mane"; "bristly shrubs"; "burred fruits";
"setaceous whiskers" [syn: {barbed}, {barbellate},
{briary}, {briery}, {bristled}, {bristly}, {burred},
{burry}, {prickly}, {setose}, {setaceous}, {spiny},
{thorny}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Bristle \Bris"tle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bristled}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Bristling}.]
1. To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the
bristles of an angry hog; -- sometimes with up.
[1913 Webster]
Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty
Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Boy, bristle thy courage up. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. To fix a bristle to; as, to bristle a thread.
[1913 Webster]