bruise

[ brooz ]

verb (used with object)

, bruised, bruis·ing.

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, bruis·ing.

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 Words From

• un·bruised 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

Clutching a smooth rock in her fist so she doesn’t bruise her knuckles, Banuet, 62, spends several hours every day, five days a week, knocking on doors in Phoenix and surrounding suburbs.

From Los Angeles Times

More than two weeks later, Ms Batool “marched towards” her and said Sara had a bruise on her face, the court heard.

From BBC

Ani can be in control of this feeling — and even profit from it — without so much as a bruise to her heart.

From Salon

Sara's primary school noticed a bruise under her left eye in June 2022, a bruise on her chin and a dark mark on her right eye in March 2023, the court heard.

From BBC

Initial medical scans showed an internal bruise with bleeding in his lung.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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