contuse

English

WOTD – 14 June 2011

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /kənˈtuz/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /kənˈtjuːz/

  • Audio (Southern England)

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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, volume 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.

   • 2 Nov 2008, Donald Macleod, The Guardian:

     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.

Related terms

• contusion

Translations

To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise

• Greek: μωλωπίζω (el) (molopízo)
• Russian: контузить (ru) (kontuzitʹ), ушибить (ru) (ušibitʹ)
• Spanish: contundir (es), contusionar (es)
• Swedish: mörbulta (sv)

Anagrams

• Scouten, consute, countes, econuts

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /konˈtu.ze/
• Rhymes: -uze
• Hyphenation: con‧tù‧se

Etymology 1

Adjective

contuse

1. feminine plural of contuso

Participle

contuse f pl

1. feminine plural of contuso

Etymology 2

Noun

contuse f

1. plural of contusa

Etymology 3

Verb

contuse

1. third-person singular past historic of contundere

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /konˈtuː.se/, [kɔn̪ˈt̪uːs̠ɛ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /konˈtu.se/, [kon̪ˈt̪uːs̬e]

Participle

contūse

1. vocative masculine singular of contūsus