Definition of BRUISE

bruise

Meanings

Plural: bruises

Noun

  • an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration
  • A purplish mark on the skin due to leakage of blood from capillaries under the surface that have been damaged by a blow.
  • A dark mark on fruit or vegetables caused by a blow to the surface.

Verb

  • injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of
    • "I bruised my knee"
  • hurt the feelings of
    • "This remark really bruised my ego"
  • break up into small pieces for food preparation
    • "bruise the berries with a wooden spoon and strain them"
  • damage (plant tissue) by abrasion or pressure
    • "The customer bruised the strawberries by squeezing them"
  • To strike (a person), originally with something flat or heavy, but now specifically in such a way as to discolour the skin without breaking it; to contuse.
  • To damage the skin of (fruit or vegetables), in an analogous way.
  • Of fruit or vegetables, to gain bruises through being handled roughly.
  • To become bruised.
  • To fight with the fists; to box.
  • To harm or injure somebody's feelings or self-esteem.
  • To impair (gin) by shaking rather than stirring.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English bruisen, brusen, brosen, brisen, bresen, from a merger two words, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrews- (“to break”):
* Old English brȳsan, brīesan (“to bruise; crush”), from Proto-Germanic *brausijaną, *brūsijaną (“to break; crumble; crack”). Provided the word's sense.
* Anglo-Norman bruiser, bruser (“to break, smash, shatter”), from Gaulish *brus-, from Proto-Celtic *bruseti (“to break”). Provided the word's form.
Cognate with Scots brizz, German brausen (“to roar; boom; pound”), Old English brosnian (“to crumble, fall apart”), Dutch broos (“brittle”), German Brosame (“crumb”), dialectal Norwegian brøysk (“breakable”), Latin frustum (“bit, scrap”), Old Church Slavonic бръснути (brŭsnuti, “to rake”), Albanian breshër (“hail”).

Scrabble Score: 8

bruise is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
bruise is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
bruise is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

bruise is a valid Words With Friends word