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stiff bristle brush


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Also see: stiff | brush

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
bris•tle /ˈbrɪsəl/USA pronunciation   n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 
  1. (a) short, stiff, rough hair: [countable]Hogs' bristles are used to make brushes.[uncountable]That brush felt like it was made of bristle.

v. [no object]
  1. (of hair) to stand or rise stiffly:I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck bristle.
  2. to become stiff and straight because of anger: He bristled when I asked him to move his feet out of the aisle.
  3. bristle with, [~ + with + object] to have or be filled with a great number or amount of (something):The building was bristling with security guards.
bris•tly, adj., -tli•er, -tli•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
bris•tle  (bris′əl),USA pronunciation n., v., -tled, -tling. 
n. 
  1. one of the short, stiff, coarse hairs of certain animals, esp. hogs, used extensively in making brushes.
  2. anything resembling these hairs.

v.i. 
  1. to stand or rise stiffly, like bristles.
  2. to erect the bristles, as an irritated animal (often fol. by up):The hog bristled up.
  3. to become rigid with anger or irritation:The man bristled when I asked him to move.
  4. to be thickly set or filled with something suggestive of bristles:The plain bristled with bayonets. The project bristled with difficulties.
  5. to be visibly roused or stirred (usually fol. by up).

v.t. 
  1. to erect like bristles:The rooster bristled his crest.
  2. to furnish with a bristle or bristles.
  3. to make bristly.
  • Middle English bristel, equivalent. to brist (Old English byrst bristle, cognate with German Borste, Old Norse burst) + -el diminutive suffix bef. 1000
bris′tle•less, adj. 
bris′tle•like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bristle / ˈbrɪsəl/
  1. any short stiff hair of an animal or plant
  2. something resembling these hairs: toothbrush bristle
  1. when intr, often followed by up: to stand up or cause to stand up like bristles
  2. (intransitive) sometimes followed by up: to show anger, indignation, etc: she bristled at the suggestion
  3. (intransitive) to be thickly covered or set: the target bristled with arrows
Etymology: 13th Century bristil, brustel, from earlier brust, from Old English byrst; related to Old Norse burst, Old High German borstˈbristly

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