The idiom "raise someone's hackles" means to make someone angry, irritated, or defensive. The word "hackles" refers to the hairs on the back of an animal's neck that stand up when it is angry or threatened.
You can use this idiom when someone is annoyed or angry because of something that you said or did. For example, if you make a comment that someone finds offensive, it might raise their hackles. Or if you criticize someone's work, it might raise their hackles and make them defensive.
Here are a few examples of how to use this idiom in a sentence:
- "When I told him he was wrong, it really raised his hackles."
- "Her comments about my cooking raised my hackles."
- "Don't say anything that might raise his hackles - he's in a bad mood today."
In general, it's best to avoid doing things that might raise someone's hackles, as it can lead to conflict and tension. However, if you do accidentally raise someone's hackles, it's important to apologize and try to make things right.
• The company's unethical practices raised the hackles of the government and resulted in an investigation.
• The provocative article in the newspaper raised the hackles of the entire community.
• The loud alarm raised my hackles and made me feel scared.
• The politician's controversial speech raised the hackles of many audience members.
• The boss's constant criticism was starting to raise the hackles of the employees.
• When she heard the offensive comment, it raised her hackles and she became defensive.