ruffle someone's feathers

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

1. (idiomatic) To unease, cause discomfort to someone.
   • 2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Sutton and David Templeton both had efforts just off target as Hearts' tactics of high-tempo, pressing football ruffled the English side's feathers.

• ruffle some feathers