bruise

[ brooz ]
See synonyms for: bruisebruisedbruising on Thesaurus.com

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.

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

  2. 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.

Origin of bruise

1
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; see brisance

Other words from bruise

  • un·bruised, adjective

Words that may be confused with bruise

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use bruise in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bruise

bruise

/ (bruːz) /


verb(mainly tr)
  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

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

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

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

Origin of bruise

1
Old English brӯsan, of Celtic origin; compare Irish brūigim I bruise

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012