ruffle some feathers

English

Alternative forms

• ruffle a few feathers, ruffle feathers

Verb

ruffle some feathers (third-person singular simple present ruffles some feathers, present participle ruffling some feathers, simple past and past participle ruffled some feathers)

1. (figuratively) To cause a disturbance; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

   Any frank discussion of politics is sure to ruffle some feathers.

   • 1976 August 28, David P. Brill, “Talking Politics”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 9, page 11:

     Plainclothes vice squad detectives played the [gay] bars and waited to be propositioned, or asked out, or something, and bang! According to those old enough to remember […] the police found themselves arresting legislators, employees of the mayor's office, and even some off-duty cops. So many prominent feathers were ruffled that it was decided that Beantown's police had better tend to more important, but less personally risky, endeavors.

   • 2023 September 30, Hannah Murphy, “The wildest job in Silicon Valley”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 17:

     Asking multiple territorial sales teams to share ideas and resources ruffled feathers.

Related terms

• ruffle someone's feathers

See also

• make waves
• poke the bear