hackles
Anger raises them
Hackles are the erectile hairs or feathers along an animal's neck and back that rise when the creature feels threatened or aggressive—a dog's hackles stand up when confronting an intruder.
The word appears most often in the figurative phrase raise someone's hackles, meaning to provoke anger or defensiveness: His condescending tone raised her hackles.
In fly fishing, hackles are feathers wound around a hook to create artificial flies.
Coarse animal hair
stiffen · prickle · ruff · back up · on edge · aroused · triggered · activated
Bird's lightweight covering
- plumageBird's complete feather coat
- neckHead-body junction
- napeBack of neck
- ruffPleated historical neckpiece
crest · mane · scruff · coat · fur · quills · erectile · bird
Intense, violent anger
- furyIntense violent anger
- ireIntense fury
- indignationAnger from mistreatment
- outrageFierce moral indignation
wrath · temper · resentment · hostility · incensed · infuriated · enraged · seething
bristle
Coarse animal hair
erect · stiffen · prickle · ruff · back up · on edge · aroused · triggered · activated · provoked
feathers
Bird's lightweight covering
ruff · crest · mane · scruff · coat · fur · quills · erectile · bird · rooster
rage
Intense, violent anger
- furyIntense violent anger
- ireIntense fury
- indignationAnger from mistreatment
outrage · wrath · temper · resentment · hostility · incensed · infuriated · enraged · seething · fuming
suspicion
Sense of unease about motives
- distrustAbsence of confidence
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- uneaseMild persistent worry
disquiet · alarm · caution · vigilance · apprehension · misgiving · doubt · alertness · guarded · watchful
- animal signalsbody language, bird songs, tail wagging, mating calls, whale song
- cat anatomywhiskers, claws, tail, paws, ears
- dog featuresears, eyes, nose, tail, paws
- animal coatscoat, fur, undercoat, hide, fleece
- bird anatomybeak, feathers, wings, tail feathers, wing feathers
- petsdog, dogs, cats, puppy, kitten
hacklessleek coat
hacklescalm
Free from agitation
composure · equanimity · serenity · tranquility · placidity
- raise someone's hacklesTrigger defensive hostility
- raising someone's hacklesTriggering defensive anger
- hackles raisedShowing aggression or alarm
- raised hacklesErected neck hairs
- raised someone's hacklesProvoked defensive anger