black and blue
Meaning
Badly bruised, showing dark bruises on the skin (often after a hit or fall).
Origin
From the literal appearance of bruises: discoloration can look dark (blackish) and bluish/purplish. The phrase has been used in English for centuries to describe heavy bruising.
Notes
Mostly literal (bruised) but used as an idiomatic fixed phrase. Can imply rough treatment or violence depending on context.
Examples
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After the bike crash, his legs were black and blue for a week.
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She came home black and blue after a rough game of rugby.
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The boxerβs ribs were sore and black and blue after the match.
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I slipped on the stairs and ended up black and blue all over my arm.
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He said the fall didnβt hurt much, but the next day he was black and blue.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually after a linking verb: βbe black and blue.β Also βbeat/bruise someone black and blue.β Not typically pluralized or reordered.
Synonyms
- bruised
- badly bruised
- battered
Antonyms
- uninjured
- unbruised