bruise
B2Neutral to informal
Definition
Meaning
A mark on the skin caused by an injury where small blood vessels break under the skin but the skin is not cut.
Damage to the surface of a fruit or vegetable making it discoloured; emotional hurt or damage to reputation; in combat sports, to inflict damage on an opponent.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used for physical injuries but readily extended metaphorically to emotions, reputations, and objects. The verb often implies the cause ("She bruised her knee") and the result ("The knee bruised").
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Minor spelling variations in derivative words (e.g., 'bruiser' is standard in both).
Connotations
Slightly more common in British English to describe damaged produce ("bruised apples"). In American English, 'contusion' is a more frequent technical/medical synonym.
Frequency
Comparatively high frequency in both dialects with near-identical usage patterns.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Sb] bruise [sth][Sb] get/bruise easily[Sth] bruise [Sb][Sth] is bruisedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bruise easily (to be sensitive)”
- “Bruise someone's ego (to hurt pride)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Metaphorical use: 'The company's reputation was bruised by the scandal.'
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and psychological contexts (e.g., 'contusion studies', 'emotional bruising').
Everyday
Very common for describing minor injuries, damaged fruit, or hurt feelings.
Technical
Common in medicine (contusion), boxing commentary, and food quality assessment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Mind you don't bruise the peaches when packing them.
- He bruised his shin on the coffee table.
- Her criticism bruised his pride considerably.
American English
- Be careful not to bruise the bananas.
- She bruised her arm during soccer practice.
- The team's loss bruised their confidence.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Bruisingly' is extremely rare/non-standard.
American English
- No standard adverbial form. 'Bruisingly' is extremely rare/non-standard.
adjective
British English
- The bruised apple was still edible.
- He sported a heavily bruised eye after the rugby match.
- She felt emotionally bruised by the remarks.
American English
- They discounted the bruised peaches at the market.
- The boxer entered the ring with bruised ribs.
- His bruised ego needed some soothing.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I fell and got a bruise on my knee.
- The banana has a brown bruise.
- Be careful not to bruise the fruit.
- She had a large purple bruise where she bumped into the door.
- These pears bruise very easily, so handle them with care.
- His pride was a bit bruised when he didn't get the promotion.
- Despite the accident, he escaped with only minor cuts and bruises.
- The political candidate's reputation was badly bruised by the allegations.
- You could see the bruising beginning to show around his eye.
- The forensic report noted extensive bruising inconsistent with the claimed accident.
- The fragile coalition government was left bruised but intact after the contentious vote.
- Her self-esteem, already bruised by past failures, couldn't withstand another criticism.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'blue' + 'ooze' → A bruise often looks blue/purple and feels tender like something has oozed under the skin.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL HARM IS PHYSICAL INJURY (e.g., 'bruised feelings', 'ego is bruised').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'синяк' (more specific, always a mark). 'Bruise' как глагол шире: 'ушибить(ся)', 'помять' (фрукты).
- Избегать буквального перевода в метафорах: 'bruised ego' ≠ 'синяк эго', а 'уязвленное самолюбие'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I have a bruise on my bone.' (Use 'fracture' or 'break').
- Spelling: Confusing 'bruise' with 'breeze'.
- Overusing as a verb for all injuries: 'The car accident bruised him badly.' (Better: 'injured him badly').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'bruise' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A bruise (contusion) involves broken blood vessels under unbroken skin, causing discolouration. A cut (laceration) breaks the skin surface, causing bleeding.
Yes, metaphorically. It's common to say a person's pride, ego, confidence, or feelings are bruised, meaning they are hurt or damaged.
'Contusion' is the formal medical term for a bruise. 'Bruise' is the everyday word used in general conversation.
It rhymes with 'cruise' and 'lose'. The IPA is /bruːz/ for both British and American English.