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Adjective: bristly (bristlier,bristliest)  bris-(u-)lee
  1. Having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc.
    "a horse with a short bristly mane"; "bristly shrubs";
    - barbed, barbellate, briary, briery, bristled, burred, burry, prickly, setose, setaceous, spiny, thorny
     
  2. Very irritable
    "bristly exchanges between the White House and the press";
    - prickly, splenetic, waspish

Derived forms: bristlier, bristliest

See also: armed, ill-natured