Bruising Meaning and Definition
Bruising
Pronunciation
/ˈbruːzïŋ/
Part of Speech
Noun
Definition
A mark or discoloration on the skin caused by a blow or injury, typically resulting in a blue or purple color and eventually fading to a normal color.
Examples
- She got a nasty bruising on her arm from the fall.
- The athlete tried to hide the bruising on his face from the rough game.
Synonyms
- Contusion
- Swelling
Antonyms
- Clear
- Unmarked
Etymology
The word “bruising” comes from the Old French bruise, meaning “crush”, which is derived from the Latin bruscare, meaning “to crush”.
Usage Notes
Bruising can be used to describe a wide range of injuries, from minor bumps and bruises to more severe traumas. It is often used in medical contexts, but can also be used in everyday language to describe a minor injury.
Cultural References
Bruising has appeared in various popular culture references, including literature, film, and music. For example, the term is used in the title of the 2014 film “Bruising” to describe the physical and emotional toll of domestic violence.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
Bruising is often used in idiomatic expressions such as “to egg someone on” or “to take it for granted”, which convey the idea of going too far or pushing someone to their limits.
Related Words or Phrases
Words and phrases closely related to bruising include “contusion”, “swelling”, “bleeding”, and “wound”.
Collocations
Bruising often collocates with words such as “minor”, “major”, “serious”, and “nasty” to convey the severity of the injury.
Frequency of Use
Bruising is a relatively common word in modern language, with a frequency of use similar to that of other common nouns such as “dog” or “house”.
Common Misspellings
Common misspellings of bruising include “brusing”, “bruseing”, and “bruisen”.