harm
$ \mathrm{harm}^1
noun
OPAL W
/hɑːm/
uncountable
​damage or injury that is caused by a person or an event
He would never frighten anyone or cause them any harm.
The accused clearly intended to inflict harm on him.
He may look fierce, but he means no harm.
harm to somebody/something No definite harm to human health has been determined.
The court case will do serious harm to my business.
The accident could have been much worse; luckily no harm was done.
Don't worry, we'll see that the children come to no harm.
I can't say I like Mark very much, but I don't wish him any harm.
Hard work never did anyone any harm.
Look, we're just going out for a few drinks, where's the harm in that?
The treatment they gave him did him more harm than good.
SEE ALSO actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm, self-harm
Collocations
adjective
considerable
great
serious
verb + harm
cause
do
inflict
harm + verb
come to somebody/​something
preposition
harm from
harm to
phrases
more harm than good
out of harm’s way
Idioms
it wouldn’t do somebody any harm (to do something)
no harm done
out of harm’s way
there is no harm in (somebody’s) doing something | it does no harm (for somebody) to do something
$ \mathrm{harm}^2
verb
/hɑːm/
​harm somebody/something to hurt or injure somebody or to damage something
He would never harm anyone.
Pollution can harm marine life.
These revelations will harm her chances of winning the election.
Rising oil prices could harm the global economy.
It's important to grow the business in a way that does not harm the environment.
Misusing drugs in pregnancy can seriously harm your baby.
The decision could harm British interests.
The country's treatment of asylum seekers is harming its international reputation.
He claimed that he had not intended to harm the girl.
SEE ALSO self-harm
Synonyms damage
Word Origin
Old English hearm (noun), hearmian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German Harm and Old Norse harmr ‘grief, sorrow’.