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• black-and-blue
  black-and-blue

  adjective

  discolored, as by bruising; exhibiting ecchymosis.
• black and blue
  black and blue

  Badly bruised, as in That fall down the stairs left me black and blue all over. Even though multicolored bruises rarely include the color black, this term has been so used since about 1300.

black-and-blue

American  

[blak-uhn-bloo] / ˈblæk ənˈblu /

adjective

1. discolored, as by bruising; exhibiting ecchymosis.

   a black-and-blue mark on my knee.

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black-and-blue British  

adjective

1. (of the skin) discoloured, as from a bruise

2. feeling pain or soreness, as from a beating

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black and blue Idioms  

1. Badly bruised, as in That fall down the stairs left me black and blue all over. Even though multicolored bruises rarely include the color black, this term has been so used since about 1300.

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Etymology

Origin of black-and-blue

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

black-and-blue black and blue

The singer re-emerged wearing a sparkly black-and-blue outfit complete with roller skates as he introduced will.i.am for their collaboration OMG - a song title which reflected the crowd's reaction.

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2024

He rolled up to the tent outside the harborside hotel in a black-and-blue Bugatti Chiron, and he briefly delayed his first interview session to answer texts from his wife.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2022

Again, the black-and-blue color pairing is not the most pleasing to the eye, but actress Rose gets extra points here for matching her edgy hairstyle to her rainbow platform Crocs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2020

Later that year, he began donning baroque-style, sky-high collars—supposedly to cover the black-and-blue legions that were creeping their way up his neck.

From Slate ● Nov. 30, 2018

A nasty black-and-blue swelled along his right cheek.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Dozens of the black and blue pillars have been sprayed since they began sprouting earlier this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

So my prediction was that night owls would tend to see the dress as black and blue, whereas early risers would have a tendency to see it as white and gold.

From Slate ● Feb. 26, 2025

Some people said the dress was black and blue while others argued it was white and gold.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2024

In two hours, Colorado was black and blue, unranked by the morning.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2023

I look down at them, as if they were utterly black and blue as a Oaxaca storm—and tender as new corn.

From "Beast Rider" by Tony Johnston & María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads

Related Words

• ache
• bruise
• discomfort
• outrage
• pain
• suffering