bruise
verb (used with object)
to injure by striking or pressing, without breaking the skin.
had been bruising
-
past perfect progressiveof bruise.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Buika responded enthusiastically to Mr. Almodóvar’s request, even though her initial contact with Ms. Vargas had been bruising to her ego.
From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2010
