ruffle
Related to ruffle: ruffle feathers
ruffle (one's) feathers
To annoy, irritate, or upset someone. Sarah's just teasing you. Don't let her ruffle your feathers like that! Harry's bombastic, arrogant demeanor tends to ruffle people's feathers, but he's a decent guy at heart.
See also: feather, ruffle
ruffle a few feathers
To do something which annoys, irritates, or upsets other people. I know my presentation about the effects of climate change is going to ruffle a few feathers, but I have got to raise awareness about this issue! Harry's bombastic, arrogant demeanor tends to ruffle a few feathers, but he's a decent guy at heart.
See also: feather, few, ruffle
ruffle some feathers
To do something which annoys, irritates, or upsets other people. I know my presentation about the effects of climate change are going to ruffle some feathers, but I have got to raise awareness about this issue! Harry's bombastic, arrogant demeanor tends to ruffle some feathers, but he's a decent guy at heart.
See also: feather, ruffle
ruffle up
1. To mess up the smooth surface of something by making individual parts stand on end. A noun or pronoun can also be used between "ruffle" and "up." The cat really hates it if you ruffle up its fur by stroking it back to front. My uncle always ruffles my hair up when he sees me.
2. To cause one's hair or clothes to become disheveled or disordered through physical means. A noun or pronoun can be used between "ruffle" and "up." My brother always tries to ruffle me up just after I've finished getting my hair and clothes exactly the way I want them. The photographer ruffled up his model for the photoshoot.
3. To irritate, upset, or distress someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "ruffle" and "up." I think your comments really ruffled up the boss. The news had ruffled me up, but I knew I had to keep doing my job.
4. To bully or harass someone using physical force. (A less common variant of "rough up.") A noun or pronoun can be used between "ruffle" and "up." Take some men and go ruffle the witness up a bit. Make sure he knows what'll happen if he testifies in court.
5. To cause some situation or arrangement to become disturbed, disordered, or ruined. A noun or pronoun can be used between "ruffle" and "up." The board of directors is eager not to ruffle up the business relationships they've built overseas. The new senator has made it clear that she intends to ruffle up the political status quo in Washington.
See also: ruffle, up
smooth (one's) ruffled feathers
To attempt to calm or placate someone who is annoyed, irritated, or upset. I had to go and smooth my parents' ruffled feathers after my husband criticized them at dinner. The company has been in damage-control mode after the disastrous presentation, with the CEO trying to smooth investor's ruffled feathers.
See also: feather, ruffle, smooth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
ruffle its feathers
[for a bird] to point its feathers outward. The bird ruffled its feathers when it was annoyed. My parrot ruffles its feathers whenever it is ready to preen itself.
See also: feather, ruffle
ruffle someone's feathers
Fig. to irritate or annoy someone. I didn't mean to ruffle his feathers. I just thought that I would remind him of what he promised us.
See also: feather, ruffle
ruffle something up
to raise something, such as feathers, up or outward. The bird ruffled its feathers up and started to preen. It ruffled up its feathers.
See also: ruffle, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
ruffle someone's feathers
Annoy or offend someone, as in Calling him a tightwad really ruffled his feathers. This term alludes to the stiffened, upright feathers of an angry bird. [Mid-1800s]
See also: feather, ruffle
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
ruffle feathers
COMMON If someone ruffles feathers, they say or do something which upsets or annoys people. His management style ruffled a few feathers. The tall Texan ruffled some English feathers with his remarks. Note: If a bird's feathers are ruffled they stand out from its body, for example because it is frightened or angry.
See also: feather, ruffle
smooth (someone's) ruffled feathers
If someone smooths ruffled feathers or smooths someone's ruffled feathers, they do something to make people less angry after an argument or a problem. He acted swiftly to smooth the family's ruffled feathers. Eva generally keeps things moving and smooths ruffled feathers.
See also: feather, ruffle, smooth
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
ruffle someone's feathers
cause someone to become annoyed or upset.See also: feather, ruffle
smooth someone's ruffled feathers
make someone less angry or irritated by using soothing words.See also: feather, ruffle, smooth
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
ruffle somebody’s/a few ˈfeathers
(informal) annoy somebody by doing something that upsets and disturbs them: All this talk of a strike has clearly ruffled the management’s feathers. OPPOSITE: smooth (somebody’s) ruffled feathersThis refers to the way the wind disturbs the smooth surface of a bird’s feathers so that they stick out.
See also: feather, few, ruffle
smooth (somebody’s) ruffled ˈfeathers
make somebody feel less angry or offended: Her note of apology was meant to smooth ruffled feathers, but it only seemed to make things worse. OPPOSITE: ruffle somebody’s/a few feathersSee also: feather, ruffle, smooth
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
ruffle up
v.
To make some surface less smooth by partially lifting the individual parts that make up that surface: The wind ruffled up the bird's feathers. Don't ruffle my hair up.
See also: ruffle, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
ruffle someone's feathers, to
To irritate someone. The transfer of stiffened, upright feathers from angry birds to human beings took place around 1800. “The Dean ruffled his plumage and said, with some asperity . . . ,” wrote Frederic W. Farrar (Julian Home, 1859).
See also: ruffle
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- ruffle (one's) feathers
- ruffle feathers
- ruffle its feathers
- ruffle someone's feathers
- ruffle someone's feathers, to
- hockie
- hocky
- two jumps ahead (of someone or something)
- two jumps ahead of
- two steps ahead (of someone or something)