Bristle \Bris"tle\ (br[i^]s"s'l), n. [OE. bristel, brustel, AS. bristl, byrst; akin to D. borstel, OHG. burst, G. borste, Icel. burst, Sw. borst, and to Skr. bh[.r]shti edge, point, and prob, L. fastigium extremity, Gr. 'a`flaston stern of a ship, and E. brush, burr, perh. to brad. [root]96.]

1. A short, stiff, coarse hair, as on the back of swine.

2. (Bot.) A stiff, sharp, roundish hair. --Gray.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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.

Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest. --Shak.

Boy, bristle thy courage up. --Shak.

2. To fix a bristle to; as, to bristle a thread.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bristle \Bris"tle\, v. i.

1. To rise or stand erect, like bristles.

His hair did bristle upon his head. --Sir W. Scott.

2. To appear as if covered with bristles; to have standing, thick and erect, like bristles.

The hill of La Haye Sainte bristling with ten thousand bayonets. --Thackeray.

Ports bristling with thousands of masts. --Macaulay.

3. To show defiance or indignation.

To bristle up, to show anger or defiance.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)