bruise up
bruise up
1. To cause someone or something (such as a piece of fruit) to become covered in bruises. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bruise" and "up." Don't just shove the bananas into the grocery bag like that. You'll bruise them up! A: "I heard you had an accident on the way to work! Are you OK?" B: "I got bruised up a bit, but I'm fine."
2. To become bruised. My arm bruised up on the spot where the nurse had given me the injection.
3. To have a tendency to become bruised very easily. I bruise up like crazy whenever I roughhouse or play full-contact sports.
4. To negatively affect someone at an emotional or psychological level, especially their ego or pride. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bruise" and "up." It bruised my ego up a bit to admit that I had been wrong.
See also: bruise, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- not do (someone or oneself) any favors
- adapt (something) to (something)
- adapt to
- rescue from
- rescue from (someone or something)
- identify with
- attune to
- ask back
- orient to
- orient to (something)