n.
an injury appearing as an area of discoloured skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact rupturing underlying blood vessels.
▸a similar area of damage on a fruit, vegetable, or plant.
v.
- inflict a bruise on.
▸be susceptible to bruising.
- crush or pound (food).
Etymology
OE brȳsan ‘crush, injure or damage with a blow’, reinforced in ME by OFr. bruisier ‘break’.