(In 5 -teschown.) [a. F. contusion, ad. L. contūsiōn-em crushing, bruising, n. of action from contundĕre: see prec.]
1. The action of bruising, or condition of being bruised.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 50, margin. Wondis made with conteschown, þat ben maad wiþ smytynge of staf or stoon, or fallynge.
1541. R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 F iij. Yf that there be contusyon.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 204. One is performed by Contusion, the other by Excision.
1711. E. Ward, Quix., I. 95. That e’ery stroke did Execution, By deep Incision or Contusion.
b. transf. The action of striking as with a blunt heavy body.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 187. The Interior [sound] is rather an Impulsion or Contusion of the Air, than an Elysion or Section of the same.
2. An injury to the body caused by a blow with a blunt or heavy instrument, by collision with a hard surface, etc., without breaking the skin; a bruise.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. iii. 3. That Winter Lyon, who in rage forgets Aged contusions.
1661. Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., 113. Used … for contusions and swellings.
1711. Lond. Gaz., No. 4895/4. Major General Sibourg … receiv’d a Contusion in the Breast, from a piece of a Bomb Shell.
1807–26. S. Cooper, First Lines Surg. (ed. 5), 294. Contusions of the scalp sometimes occasion abcesses.
1878. T. Bryant, Pract. Surg., I. 142. A ‘contusion’ is caused by a blow from a blunt instrument.
† 3. Beating small, pounding, or braying. Obs.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 269. Contusion is the beating of grosse bodies into smaller or very subtile parts.
1707. Curios. in Husb. & Gard., 94. Juices are got out by Contusion and Expression.
1764. Harmer, Observ., XVI. iv. 171. There are other ways … of potting flesh for keeping, besides that of contusion.
