bristling

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɪs(ə)lɪŋ/
• Hyphenation: brist‧ling

bristling (comparative more bristling, superlative most bristling)

1. Having bristles.
2. Reacting with anger or indignation.
   • 2011 January 15, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 0 - 0 Man Utd”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Tottenham had hoped to make a statement of real intent against the title pace-setters and while manager Harry Redknapp did not secure the victory he craved, he at least saw his side match United every stride of the way in a game that fizzled out after a bristling start.

3. (UK, video games, dated) Dressed in effective defensive equipment while not seeking a fight.

bristling

1. present participle and gerund of bristle

bristling (plural bristlings)

1. The act of one who bristles.
   • 1906 May–October, Jack London, White Fang, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., published October 1906, →OCLC, part 3 (The Gods of the Wild), pages 144–145:

     When dogs fight, there are usually preliminaries to the actual combat — snarlings and bristlings and stiff-legged struttings. But White Fang learned to omit these preliminaries.

2. Alternative form of brisling.

• Stribling