# ruffle some feathers

> English word · Verb

## Definitions
1. To cause a disturbance; to arouse resentment, anger, or concern.

## Etymology
Evoking the image of roosters, who ruffle their neck feathers when threatened. OED's earliest attestation is from 1829. Perhaps a variant of an earlier phrase "ruffle the tempers", attested since at least 1722.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ruffle-some-feathers