noun
See prickly
‘That anyone could take offence at such an effort beggars belief and displays the small-mindedness and extreme prickliness that has come to typify ministers in this administration.’
- ‘Mid-way through her answer, her neatly measured affability gives way to a decided prickliness.’
- ‘Given his frequent prickliness over criticism and given his prevalent self-assurance as a writer, his openness to Bulwer's radical suggestion has surprised many commentators.’
- ‘Some of his prickliness was an expression of offended authority, but much of it also had to do with his own quick temper.’
- ‘It can be a case also of love not flowing smoothly, of prickliness, the discordance being felt internally and subconsciously.’
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