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bruise (brz)
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v. bruised, bruis·ing, bruis·es
v.tr.
1.
a. To injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of (part of the body) without breaking the skin, as by a blow.
b. To damage (plant tissue), as by abrasion or pressure: bruised the fruit by careless packing.
2. To dent or mar.
3. To pound (berries, for example) into fragments; crush.
4. To hurt, especially psychologically.
v.intr.
To experience or undergo bruising: Peaches bruise easily.
n.
1. An injury to underlying tissues or bone in which the skin is not broken, often characterized by ruptured blood vessels and discolorations.
2. A similar injury to plant tissue, often resulting in discoloration or spoilage.
3. A painful feeling caused by or associated with an experience.
[Middle English bruisen, from Old English brȳsan, to crush, and from Old North French bruisier (of Celtic origin).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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