¹bruise

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verb \ˈbrüz\

: to cause a bruise on (part of a person's body, a piece of fruit, etc.)

: to get a bruise

: to hurt (someone's confidence, feelings, etc.) through speech or actions

bruisedbruis·ing

Full Definition of BRUISE

transitive verb

1

a archaic :  disable

b :  batter, dent

2

:  to inflict a bruise on :  contuse

3

:  to break down (as leaves or berries) by pounding :  crush

4

:  wound, injure; especially :  to inflict psychological hurt on <a bruised ego>

intransitive verb

1

:  to inflict a bruise

2

:  to undergo bruising <her skin bruises easily>

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Examples of BRUISE

1. She bruised her knee when she fell.
2. I don't want to bruise anyone's feelings.

Origin of BRUISE

Middle English brusen, brisen, from Anglo-French & Old English; Anglo-French bruiser, briser to break, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish bruid he shatters; Old English brȳsan to bruise; akin to Old Irish bruid, Latin frustum piece

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with BRUISE

blues, booze, choose, cruise, cruse, Druze, flews, fuse, lose, Meuse, muse, news, ooze, Ouse, roose, ruse, schmooze, snooze, trews, use, whose

²bruise

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noun

: a dark and painful area on your skin that is caused by an injury

: a dark area on a plant or piece of fruit that has been damaged

Full Definition of BRUISE

1

a :  an injury involving rupture of small blood vessels and discoloration without a break in the overlying skin :  contusion

b :  a similar injury to plant tissue

2

:  abrasion, scratch

3

:  an injury especially to the feelings

Examples of BRUISE

1. He had a bad bruise on his leg after he fell.
2. a bruise on an apple

First Known Use of BRUISE

1541

Related to BRUISE

Synonyms

contusion

Related Words

abrasion, boo-boo, bump, lump, scrape, scratch; black eye, hickey; discoloration