bristle
UK[ˈbrɪs(ə)l]US[ˈbrɪs(ə)l]
n
A short, stiff hair, typically one of those on an animal's skin or a man's face.
n
A stiff artificial hair used in brushes.
v
(of hair or fur) stand upright away from the skin, typically as a sign of anger or fear.
v
react angrily or defensively.
Etymology
The word 'bristle' has a robust Germanic heritage, tracing back to the Proto-Germanic root burstiz-. This root itself is likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European base bhrs-ti-, which conveyed a sense of something pointing or sticking out, a concept also found in words for "burr" or "point." The journey to Modern English passed through Old English 'byrst,' which directly meant "bristle." The semantic logic is beautifully consistent: the core idea of a short, stiff, projecting object (the hair) naturally extended to the verb describing the action of such hairs standing upright, and further metaphorically to describe a person's defensive or aggressive reaction.
Analysis
The word 'bristle' is a simplex form. It originates from a Proto-Germanic root, reconstructed as burstiz-, meaning "bristle." It is related to Middle Dutch 'borstel' and Old High German 'burst.' The functional role is that of a noun and verb derived from a single, unsegmentable root.
Examples
The boar's back was covered in coarse bristles.
She felt the bristles of the scrub brush against her skin.
The dog's fur began to bristle as the stranger approached.