to bridle up
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
enfurecerse
- When criticized in public, he tended to bridle up and defend his work.
Examples
-
Don't bridle up so quickly; it was just a joke!
-
She couldn’t help but bridle up at the unfair accusation.
-
She bridled up in response to the rude comments from her colleague.
-
She bridles up when criticized.
-
She bridled up when she heard the unfair remarks about her performance.
-
He always tends to bridle up if anyone questions his decisions.
-
Don't bridle up over every little criticism; it's important to stay calm.
Synonyms
19
7.0
To react with sudden anger or offense
16
4.7
To suddenly become very angry and lose control
8
7.4
Show sudden anger or annoyance because of something someone says
4
8.2
To suddenly speak angrily and criticize someone for a small mistake
2
8.6
Suddenly get very angry and show it
1
8.4
To feel offended when someone says or does something you dislike
1
8.1
To suddenly say something angry without warning
1
9.1
To make someone angry
1
9.0
To show sudden anger or feel offended, often by becoming stiff
Show sudden anger, often by becoming tense in the face or voice
To suddenly become very angry
To become angry or upset
To become very annoyed or frustrated by something small and repeated
Antonyms
How Angry
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to show anger or indignation' follows directly from 'bridle' (to take offense, draw up in anger) combined with the particle 'up' which signals increase or onset of that state. The verb + up compositional pattern is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Bridle up comes from watching horses: when a horse feels a bridle or a pull on the reins it lifts its head and becomes stiff. So, when a person 'bridles up' they lift their head and grow tense or react sharply, which is why the phrase means 'to show anger or indignation'.