ruffle some feathers

• ruffle a few feathers, ruffle feathers, ruffle any feathers

Evoking the image of roosters, who ruffle their neck feathers when threatened. OED's earliest attestation is from 1829. Perhaps a variant of an earlier phrase "ruffle the tempers", attested since at least 1722.

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ruffle some feathers (third-person singular simple present ruffles some feathers, present participle ruffling some feathers, simple past and past participle ruffled some feathers)

1. (informal, figuratively) To cause a disturbance; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

   Synonyms: cause a stir, make waves, poke the bear

   Any frank discussion of politics is sure to ruffle some feathers.

   • 1849, The Farmer's Magazine‎^[1]:

     They were all aware that there had lately been some discussion which had ruffled the feathers of the aristocracy […] He had, indeed, no wish to ruffle the feathers of gentlemen who might render assistance to them; and if he could stand between the two parties, and make peace, most happy would he be to do so.

   • 1976 August 28, David P. Brill, “Talking Politics”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 9, page 11:

     Plainclothes vice squad detectives played the [gay] bars and waited to be propositioned, or asked out, or something, and bang! According to those old enough to remember […] the police found themselves arresting legislators, employees of the mayor's office, and even some off-duty cops. So many prominent feathers were ruffled that it was decided that Beantown's police had better tend to more important, but less personally risky, endeavors.

   • 2023 September 30, Hannah Murphy, “The wildest job in Silicon Valley”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 17:

     Asking multiple territorial sales teams to share ideas and resources ruffled feathers.

• ruffle someone's feathers