Dictionary.com

abristle

[ uh-bris-uhl ]
/ əˈbrɪs əl /

adverb, adjective

in a bristling state: an angry dog with its hairs abristle.

QUIZZES

IS YOUR DESERT PLANT KNOWLEDGE SUCCULENT OR DRIED UP?

Cactus aficionados, don't get left in the dust with this quiz on desert plants. Find out if you have the knowledge to survive this prickly foray into the desert!
Question 1 of 7
This tall, horizontally branched cactus is probably the most recognizable cactus in Arizona. What is it called?
hedgehog
peyote
saguaro
jumping cholla
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of abristle

First recorded in 1915–20; a-1 + bristle

Words nearby abristle

abreast, abri, abridge, abridgment, abrin, abristle, abroach, abroad, abrogate, abrogation, abrupt
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for abristle

  • Ruff abristle, head down, snowy fangs glinting from under his upwrithing lip, young Jeff flew to meet him like a fluffy catapult.

    Buff: A Collie and other dog-stories|Albert Payson Terhune