raise someone's hackles
raise (one's) hackles
To greatly irritate, annoy, or aggravate one. The disrespect he showed our professor during class raised my hackles so badly that I had to go take a walk to calm down. The politician has a gift for raising his opponents' hackles during debates.
See also: hackle, raise
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
raise someone's hackles
COMMON If something raises your hackles, it makes you angry. The taxes will be designed not to raise voters' hackles too much. Note: You can also say that something raises hackles if it makes people angry. Certainly Smedley's pay packet of $1 million-plus would have raised a few hackles among the medical profession. Note: When something makes you angry or annoyed, you can say that your hackles rise. My hackles rose when I read his letter. Note: `Hackles' are feathers on the necks of cockerels and some other birds. They rise up when the bird becomes aggressive.
See also: hackle, raise
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
- raise (one's) hackles
- raise one's hackles
- make (someone's) hackles rise
- make somebody's hackles rise
- make someone's hackles rise
- your, his, etc. hackles rise
- (one's) hackles rise
- hackle
- put (one's) teeth on edge
- make (one's) teeth itch