bruise

[brooz]

verb (used with object)

bruised, bruising 

1. to injure by striking or pressing, without breaking the skin.

   The blow bruised his arm. Her pinching bruised the peaches.

2. to injure or hurt slightly, as with an insult or unkind remark.

   to bruise a person's feelings.

3. to crush (drugs or food) by beating or pounding.

4. Metalworking.,  to injure the surface of (an ingot or finished object) by collision.

verb (used without object)

bruised, bruising 

1. to develop or bear a discolored spot on the skin as the result of a blow, fall, etc.

2. to become injured slightly.

   His feelings bruise easily.

noun

1. an injury due to bruising; contusion.

bruise

/ bruːz /

verb

1. (also intr) to injure (tissues) without breaking the skin, usually with discoloration, or (of tissues) to be injured in this way

2. to offend or injure (someone's feelings) by an insult, unkindness, etc

3. to damage the surface of (something), as by a blow

4. to crush (food, etc) by pounding or pressing

noun

1. a bodily injury without a break in the skin, usually with discoloration; contusion

Other Word Forms

• unbruised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bruise¹

before 900; Middle English bro ( o ) sen, bres ( s ) en, bris ( s ) en, bruisen, representing Old English brȳsan, brēsan and Anglo-French bruser, Old French bruisier, akin to briser to break; brisance

Word History and Origins

Origin of bruise¹

Old English brӯsan , of Celtic origin; compare Irish brūigim I bruise

Example Sentences

"I had quite considerable pain down that area of my leg following it. Also I had slight bruising come up."

Read more on BBC

When Newcastle needed a result most, following a bruising defeat at Brentford before the international break, Howe and his staff devised a plan to finally get the better of Manchester City in the Premier League.

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Stocks rallied to the end the week after a bruising stretch of declines.

Read more on Barron's

There can be side effects - such as redness, swelling and bruising but these tend to be temporary.

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But this year’s bruising budget fight proved that divided government can still check executive overreach—and that sound fiscal judgment is worth fighting for.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bang up 
• batter 
• blacken 
• crush 
• injure 
• mar 
• wound