the.com/prickliness
A cactus made of feelings, daring the world to come closer.
means The quality of being easily irritated, defensive, or touchy — quick to take offense at the slightest contact.
from From 'prickle,' which traces back to Old English 'pricel' (a small sharp point), kin to 'prick' and rooted in Proto-Germanic words for piercing or stabbing. The literal sense — the spines of a thorn or hedgehog — was carried over into temperament by the 19th century, when a person who bristled at the smallest touch came to be called 'prickly,' and the noun 'prickliness' followed naturally.
- defense first
- It assumes attack before anyone has lifted a finger.
- thin skin
- Often armor bolted over a wound, not strength.
- contagious
- One bristly person can sour a whole room fast.
- sharp origin
- Word comes from prick, sharing roots with thorns and stings.
hedgehog — mammal with 5,000-7,000 spines covering its body for defense
porcupine — rodent with 30,000 quills that detach when touched
sea urchin — marine animal with venomous spines that cause puncture wounds
gila monster — venomous lizard with beaded, spiky skin native to southwestern us