ruffle someone's feathers en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(idiomatic) To unease, cause discomfort to someone.
The Spanish newspaper El País suggested that Trump’s feathers had been ruffled by a video at the same meeting, showing Meloni appearing to scold him.
2026 July 1, Riccardo Alcaro, “Why Meloni has hit back hard against Trump and his ‘made up’ photo claim”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:Sutton and David Templeton both had efforts just off target as Hearts' tactics of high-tempo, pressing football ruffled the English side's feathers.
2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ruffles someone's feathers | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| ruffling someone's feathers | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| ruffled someone's feathers | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| ruffled someone's feathers | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Relateds
rustle someone's jimmies · ruffle some feathers
Synonyms
frustrate · rile up · tee off · mommick · vex · get someone's dander up · piss off · wind up · provoke · grind one's gears · rub someone the wrong way · chap someone's hide · get on someone's wick · trouble · aggravate · ruffle someone's feathers · burn someone's ass · rankle · nerve · hassle · bedevil · molest · get someone's Irish up · pee off · Idioms: · peeve · grotch · cheese off · sting · annoy · boil someone's piss · bug · antagonize · roil · get under one's goat · tick off · get up · acerbate · storm · pique · get · try one's patience · irritate · harsh one's mellow · get someone's dander up · raise someone's hackles · get on someone's nerves · nark · botherate · ruffle · hack off · raise someone's hackles · irk · get someone's goat · get someone's nanny-goat · put someone's back up · jazz · grate · exasperate · get on someone's tits · devil · test someone's patience · get under someone's skin · bother · disgruntle · burn up · get someone's nanny · peeve off · rile · get someone's back up · nettle · give someone the shits · persecute · rub up the wrong way · torque off