black-and-blue

[ blak-uhn-bloo ]

adjective

1. discolored, as by bruising; exhibiting ecchymosis:

   a black-and-blue mark on my knee.

black-and-blue

adjective

1. (of the skin) discoloured, as from a bruise
2. feeling pain or soreness, as from a beating

Word History and Origins

Origin of black-and-blue¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

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

“You don’t have to be black-and-blue to be in a domestic violence situation,” she said.

From Seattle Times

“And that’s the reason that he’s gone/And left you black-and-blue.”

From New York Times

Back at T-Mobile Park on Monday afternoon, Moore lifted up his shirt to reveal the oversized black-and-blue welt under his left shoulder blade on Monday afternoon.

From Seattle Times

Green-winged Inca jays, with yellow bellies and black-and-blue faces, fluttered and squawked in nearby branches, and a dazzling array of hummingbirds purred and thumped, jostling for space at assorted feeders.

From New York Times

Related Words

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