put (one's/someone's) back up



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put (one's/someone's) back up

To be or become angry, hostile, defensive, defiant, or irritable, or to instill such a feeling in someone else. John put his back up when his parents brought up the subject of college. Election season always puts my dad's back up.
See also: back, put, up

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
EnfysEN-visWelsh
Gwilherm-Breton
Chinweuba-Western African, Igbo
Culver['kʌlvə]
KieraKEER-a, KEE-ar-aIrish
Wilmot-Medieval English