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." He wants to become a brother of the blade, but he's not very strong, and his reflexes are terribly slow.

2. To become bruised. My arm bruised up on the spot where the nurse had given me the injection. My mosquito bites always seem to bruise up, whether I scratch them or not. I just knew my leg was going to bruise up after I hit it hard on the side of the cabinet.

3. To have a tendency to become bruised very easily. I bruise up like crazy whenever I roughhouse or play full-contact sports. My grandma has pale, almost translucent skin that pretty much bruises up if you look at it for too long. Edward has a blood disorder—that's why he bruises up so easily.

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. Yeah, getting rejected by that beautiful woman bruised my self-confidence a bit, but I'm no worse for wear. Let's order another round, fellas! It's impressive how no rejection or setback seems to bruise Jason's pride.