contuse

contuse

English

WOTD – 14 June 2011

Etymology

From (the participle stem of) Latin contundere (“pound or beat small”), from com- + tundere (“beat, thump”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kənˈtjuːz/

Verb

contuse (third-person singular simple present contuses, present participle contusing, simple past and past participle contused)

1. (transitive) To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise.
   • 1869, St Louis Medical Society, The Medical Archives, vol. III:

     How many uteruses, vaginas and perineums, suppose you, would we have to contuse and lacerate before we acquired the amount of skill and dexterity to which the gentlemen who advocate the forceps have attained?

   • 1965, John Fowles, The Magus:

     His mouth had been struck or kicked. The lips were severely contused, reddened.

   • 2008, Donald Macleod, The Guardian, 2 Nov 2008:

     This would have to be followed by a calculation of 'reasonable force', knowing that any bruising, scratching or contusing would expose me to a charge of assault.

Translations

To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise

Greek: μωλωπίζω (el) (molopízo) Russian: контузить (ru) (kontuzitʹ), ушибить (ru) (ušibitʹ)

Swedish: mörbulta (sv)

Anagrams

• Scouten, consute, countes, econuts

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Italian

Adjective

contuse

1. feminine plural of contuso

Noun

contuse f

1. plural of contusa

Verb

contuse

1. third-person singular past historic of contundere
2. feminine plural of contuso

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Latin

Participle

contūse

1. vocative masculine singular of contūsus