bruising - definition, synonyms and pronunciation

Open English WordNet

Adjective (2)

causing mental or emotional injury“a bruising experience”“protected from the bruising facts of battle — John Mason Brown”Opposite harmlessSimilar harmful
brutally forceful and compelling“protected from the bruising facts of battle”Opposite forcelessSimilar forceful

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

“bruising” is listed under Bruise.

Bruise (brṳz), transitive verb [past tense & past participle Bruised (…); present participle & verbal noun Bruising.]

Origin: OE. brusen, brisen, brosen, bresen, AS. br…san or fr. OF. bruiser, bruisier, bruser, to break, shiver, perh. from OHG. brochisōn. Cf. Break, transitive verb

1. To injure, as by a blow or collision, without laceration; to contuse; as, to bruise one's finger with a hammer; to bruise the bark of a tree with a stone; to bruise an apple by letting it fall.

2. To break; as in a mortar; to bray, as minerals, roots, etc.; to crush.

Nor bruise her flowerets with the armed hoofs.— William Shakespeare

Synonyms: To pulverize; bray; triturate; pound; contuse.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54