■ noun 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.
■ verb
1》 inflict a ~ on.
↘be susceptible to bruising.
2》 crush or pound (food).
Origin
OE brȳsan 'crush, injure or damage with a blow', reinforced in ME by OFr. bruisier 'break'.