harm1 nounharm2 verb
harmharm1 /hɑːm $ hɑːrm/ ●●○ S3 W3 noun [uncountable] 
WORD ORIGINharm1
Origin:
Old English hearmEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Several people were injured, but most escaped harm.
- A few weeks back here in the World won't do my career serious harm.
- He knew his father was a good man, a kind man, honest, meaning no harm to anyone.
- I had never done him any harm, yet I seemed to be the object of a deliberate campaign.
- No great harm in that, from a cameraman; or so I thought at the time.
- Stripped of his power to inflict harm on me, he seemed terribly ordinary.
- The trouble is that, though the harm so far may be slight, the legitimate anxiety is not.
- Unless you have a specific allergy, there is no great harm in taking something to relieve an isolated headache.
- Very small amounts can be dealt with by the body causing no long term harm.
Longman Language Activatorto harm a person, group, country etc
to have a bad effect on something, in a way that makes it weaker, less effective, or less successful: · Walking out without giving any notice will only harm your career.· Any scandal will certainly harm the company's reputation.· These new export restrictions are sure to harm the economy.· The most important consideration is that the environment is not harmed.
to permanently harm something such as the success, health, or image of a person, organization etc so that they are not as effective as before: · Several recent events have damaged the government's public image.· This is likely to damage Scott's reputation even more.seriously/badly damage something: · Smoking can seriously damage your health.· The company's future prospects will be badly damaged if this deal falls through.
to change or effect something in a harmful way: · Drinking so much is bound to have a bad effect on your health.· An increase in interest rates at the present time would definitely be bad for business.
to have a sudden bad effect on someone or something, harming them badly: · A sudden rise in inflation always hits living standards.be badly hit: · Southern England has been badly hit by flooding, and many homes are now without power.hit something/somebody hard: · Elderly people were the hardest hit by the increase in tax on fuel.
to have a bad effect on an organization or activity, by making it less successful or effective: · Most companies have been hurt by the economic slowdown.· This is mainly going to hurt those who already have least.
to harm the plans, chances, confidence etc of a person or organization: · It would be stupid to pretend this was anything but a blow to the prime minister.be a big/serious/severe etc blow: · The incident was a severe blow to UN peace efforts.· Losing the match against Rumania, dealt a huge blow to the team.
to harm something such as an ability or the way a body or system works - use this especially in medical or technical contexts: · If a witness is allowed to withhold evidence, it impairs the legal process.· Alcohol significantly impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.
formal to be likely to harm something: · Working in front of a computer all day may be detrimental to your eyesight.· Any further housing development will be detrimental to the character of this small town.
if you do something at the expense of someone or something else, you do it in order to gain an advantage, even if it harms them or has a bad effect on them: · Cigarette manufacturers continue to pursue profit at the expense of our children.· Many people are now working a fifty or sixty hour week, at the expense of their family life.
to seriously harm something by causing a lot of harm and confusion: · A major computer failure wrought havoc on the New York Subway last night.wreak havoc/play havoc with: · Working so late is starting to play havoc with her social life.
to harm yourself by your own actions: only harm yourself · They'll only harm themselves if they decide to leave the association.· By making the complaint the only person he harmed was himself.
to behave in a way that is certain to cause you harm, especially because of pride or anger: · It would be silly to give up your job now -- you'd just be cutting your own throat.
to continuously behave in a stupid way that results in you being harmed: · My mother was her own worst enemy. She knew she was ill but she did nothing to help herself.· Many drivers are their own worst enemy -- driving too close, driving too fast, all the usual faults.
to stupidly do something that seriously harms you, especially by saying something stupid or making plans that go badly wrong: · Once again, the government has shot itself in the foot -- this time by reducing widows' pensions.
to deliberately not do something that would make an unpleasant situation better for you, because you are too angry or proud to do it: · If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
harming something or someone · Pushing kids so hard from such an early age is likely to have some harmful results.· Scientists tend to agree that most diets don't work and can be harmful.· The destruction of the ozone layer will have a very harmful effect on the environment.harmful to · 80% of Americans think that television is harmful to society and especially to children.
harmful and usually having a permanent effect: · Up to 1500 patients suffered damaging side-effects after taking the drug.· The publicity that followed the scandal has been extremely damaging.damaging to: · The British beef crisis was damaging to the livelihoods of thousands of people in the industry.
likely to harm someone or something, especially in a way that is not too serious - use this especially about something that could also have a good effect if the situation was different: · Doctors have a duty to inform patients of the possible negative side-effects of the drug.· The school environment can be a negative force as well as a positive one.
to have a harmful effect on something such as an activity, organization, or type of work: · When companies close down, it's bad for the town and bad for the local economy.· A bad marriage is bad for the kids.· Reading without good lighting is bad for your eyes.
likely to harm people's health or the environment · Scientists have recommended that new technology be used to target harmful bacteria.· Many of the products that we have around our homes are harmful if swallowed.· The protests were aimed at ending the dumping of harmful industrial waste at sea.harmful to · The sun's rays can be very harmful to the skin.
something that is poisonous contains a chemical that makes people, animals, or plants etc very ill or could kill them if they breathe it, swallow it, or touch it etc: · Don't drink that -- it's poisonous!· The adder is the only poisonous snake in Britain.highly poisonous: · Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas, mostly produced by cars.
: hazardous chemicals/waste/substances etc substances that are poisonous and will harm people, animals, or the environment if they are not dealt with or got rid of carefully: · Lead is one of the most hazardous substances known, causing cancer and nerve damage.· The building is now unoccupied, and all radioactive or hazardous materials have been removed.· We need better regulations regarding the transportation of hazardous waste along public roads.
chemicals, gases, or waste products that are poisonous and harmful to people, animals, or the environment - used especially in technical or scientific contexts : · Research has found that the drug contains a toxic chemical that can cause respiratory problems.toxic waste (=from factories etc): · We need more installations for the disposal of toxic waste.highly toxic: · highly toxic radioactive waste productstoxic to: · Carbon dioxide is not highly toxic to animals or humans in small amounts.
formal a noxious chemical or gas harms your health and is very unpleasant: · Residents have to put up with noxious fumes from the nearby factory.· Increasing tax on petrol would encourage people to drive smaller cars with fewer noxious emissions.
not harming anything or anyone · I don't know why you're so upset -- it was only a harmless bit of fun.· Radioactive waste needs to be stored for 25,000 years before it is harmless.harmless enough (=used to say that someone or something that may seem harmful, is in fact not harmful) · He's a little crazy, I know, but he's harmless enough.
not harmful - use this especially when people have said or believe that something or someone is harmful: · The producer dismissed the comment as quite innocuous.· The murder suspect was an innocuous-looking man with wire-framed glasses.seemingly/apparently innocuous (=seeming harmless, but actually intended to be harmful): · Someone stood up and asked the professor an apparently innocuous question about his laboratory work.
if an action, activity, experience etc does no harm , it does not harm someone or something and may even help: · Learning how to live on your own for a while will do you no harm at all.it would do no harm to do something: · I expect they've sold all the tickets, but it won't do any harm to ask.
: environment-friendly/ozone-friendly etc used especially about products in shops, meaning that they do not harm the environment etc: · Look for aerosols which say 'ozone-friendly' on the can.· Tighter laws are needed to prevent manufacturers from falsely claiming their products are environment friendly.
not hurt or injured to not be hurt, even though you have been in a dangerous situation such as an accident: · The driver of the car was unhurt, but his passenger was killed.escape unhurt: · Six day trippers escaped unhurt when their hot air balloon hit power lines.otherwise unhurt (=apart from a condition that is not serious or physical): · The younger woman was suffering from shock but was otherwise unhurt.shaken/shocked but unhurt (=shocked, but not physically hurt): · The two youths, shaken but unhurt, declined to talk about the incident.
to not be hurt or harmed, even though you have been in a dangerous situation: · The hostages were released unharmed some time afterwards.escape unharmed: · All fourteen people who were working inside the building when the blaze started escaped unharmed.
informal if you have a dangerous experience and escape from it without a scratch , you do not have any injury at all, because you have been very lucky: walk away/escape without a scratch: · All four people in the car were seriously hurt, but the truck driver walked away without a scratch.
informal not seriously hurt in a war, accident etc: · Unlike Ed, Josh returned from the war in one piece.all in one piece: · I was extremely relieved when my son came back from the warzone all in one piece.
to not get injured in a very dangerous situation you have been involved in, because you have been very lucky - used especially in news reports: · I can hardly believe they were able to just walk away from the crash -- I thought they'd all been killed.
written not injured at all, even though you have had a dangerous experience: · The bullet grazed the side of his head, leaving him virtually unscathed.escape/emerge/come out of something unscathed: · Most of the passengers escaped from the plane unscathed.
use this to say that someone will not be hurt if they do something, or was not hurt by doing something, going somewhere etc: · If you keep quiet, you'll come to no harm.· I'm sure Craig's old enough to catch a train into town without coming to any harm.· Fortunately, none of the hostages came to any serious harm.
a safe place · We want the streets to be safe for our children.in a safe place · Keep the receipt in a safe place.from/at a safe distance (=far enough away from something dangerous) · Mothers held on to their children tightly, letting them watch the fireworks from a safe distance.(at) a safe distance from something · Hiding in the hedge a safe distance from the truck, she waited for the man to appear.
if someone or something is out of harm's way , they are in a place where they cannot be hurt or damaged: · She put the glass vases on the top shelf, out of harm's way.well out of harm's way: · The device sends the fish to the bottom of the pond, well out of harm's way.
a place where you are safe from danger: reach safety: · By the time the men reached safety, they were exhausted and half starved.the safety of something: · She rushed back to the safety of her own house.carry/lead/take somebody to safety: · The firefighters carried the children to safety.· A film cameraman was airlifted to safety yesterday after being trapped inside a volcano for two days.
a place where you can go in order to escape from a dangerous or unpleasant situation: refuge from: · The basement provided us with a refuge from the fighting.refuge for: · The Allies are being asked to provide more refuges for those fleeing the fighting.place of refuge: · Zurich's importance as a business centre grew, as did its reputation as a place of refuge.take refuge (=go somewhere that is safe): · During the flooding, people took refuge in the hills.seek refuge from something (=try to find a safe place, to escape from a dangerous situation): · Thousands of families came here seeking refuge from the civil war.
a peaceful place where people go in order to escape from danger or suffering, and where they feel very safe: haven for: · She finally found a place to escape to, a small haven for herself and her daughter.· The church is a haven of peace in one of London's busiest areas.safe haven (=a safe place): · The massacre took place in what was supposed to be a UN safe haven.
a peaceful place that is safe and provides protection, especially for people who are in danger: · I thought of my bedroom as a sanctuary.· The Church should be a sanctuary for the oppressed.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs
The outbreak of hostilities will cause incalculable misery. His only thought was to keep the child from harm.
· Try to choose products that do the least harm to the environment.
· Very small amounts of the chemical cause no lasting harm.
(=cause harm, especially physical harm)· None of us wants to inflict harm on another human being.
· A child can be taken into care if he is or is likely to suffer significant harm.
· He was put in a mental hospital to prevent harm to others.
adjectives· If you drink too much alcohol, you can do yourself serious harm.
· They were afraid that he would do them some actual physical harm.
· Depriving a child of love does irreparable emotional harm.
· The report highlights the environmental harm caused by transporting goods around the world.
(=that cannot be made better)· The scandal has caused irreparable harm to his career.
· The injury caused him discomfort but no lasting harm.
(=so much harm that it cannot be described completely)· This type of abuse can cause a child untold harm.
· People need to be more aware of the potential harm of being overweight.
phrases (=cause more problems rather than improve a situation)· If you don’t warm up properly, exercise may do more harm than good.
spoken (=used to tell someone not to worry about something they have done)· ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push you.’ ‘Don’t worry, no harm done.’
spoken (=used when you think that something seems reasonable, although other people may not)· Sure, he gets attention when he performs at a charity event, but where’s the harm in that?
COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘give harm’ or ‘make harm’. Say do harm or cause harm.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=not have a bad effect on something or someone)· One or two chocolate cookies won’t do you any harm.
(=used to say that something had a bad effect rather than a good one)· I followed his advice but it did more harm than good.
(=make it less successful)· Sanctions have damaged the economy.
· The government insists that the dam will not harm the environment.
· A lot of chemicals used in industry cause harm to the environment.
The outbreak of hostilities will cause incalculable misery. His only thought was to keep the child from harm. (=not intend to harm, offend etc someone) I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.· Hazlett was also charged with reckless driving causing grievous bodily harm to two people.· Since grievous bodily harm can be committed by an omission it would be strange if assault and battery could not be.· The conduct may be either causing a wound or causing grievous bodily harm.· She also denies 11 alternative charges of causing grievous bodily harm.· One has just come out of prison after doing two years for bodily harm.· In court Diaz admitted charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray and Walker admitted affray and assault causing actual bodily harm.
· The conduct may be either causing a wound or causing grievous bodily harm.· Arthurs, 33, of Exeter, was jailed for nine months after admitting causing grievous bodily harm.· The intention is that the producer should insure the product against its potential for causing harm.· The youths were neither causing damage nor harm.· If their discharges are seen to be causing harm they can be liable in the civil courts.· The bad senses cluster around the notion of deliberately causing harm to another being or entity.· Jones, 29, of Sutton in Ashfield, denies murder, attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm.· We have to help them live in the world without causing harm to others.
· Since grievous bodily harm can be committed by an omission it would be strange if assault and battery could not be.· Arthurs, 33, of Exeter, was jailed for nine months after admitting causing grievous bodily harm.· A local man who has been charged with grievous bodily harm will face further questioning today before he appears before magistrates.· Another 40 people are facing charges of riot and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.· In court Diaz admitted charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray and Walker admitted affray and assault causing actual bodily harm.· It is claimed Metclafe inflicted grievous bodily harm to a man and then attempted to pervert the course of justice.· He will appear in court today charged with grievous bodily harm and intimidation.· A man has been charged with grievous bodily harm and will appear before Swindon Magistrates tomorrow morning.
· However, the didactic goal usually does irreparable harm to the characterization of the dramatis personae.
· They are convicted of physical harm or damage infrequently and they are in general petty and trivial offenders.· They claim notification exposes offenders who have served prison time to vigilantism, harassment, physical harm, job-loss and public shame.· He has made threats of physical harm to himself and others.· The researcher is asked to attempt to guarantee that the subject will be protected from physical or psychological harm.· There is therefore no direct inference ticket from physical harm to harm normatively defined.· They were afraid he'd turn violent and do one of them some actual physical harm.· In severe depression apathy can lead to neglect, irritability to physical harm, and depressive delusions to infanticide.· His ring classicism has always argued so persuasively against excessive physical harm, his pride was beyond anything but a regal exit.
· Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future. Psychological harm may be imminent.· The researcher is asked to attempt to guarantee that the subject will be protected from physical or psychological harm.
· It does not look as though any real harm has been done.· He would not do her any real harm.· They rarely mean real harm, and go too far only infrequently.· At least I can say that I do these old guys no real or lasting harm.· He wondered now how he might explain to Beth that his stepfather saw no real harm in what Matthew had done.· In which case there's no real harm been done, has there?
· A few weeks back here in the World won't do my career serious harm.· Detain any person who poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.· The crime will depend on whether the wound was serious harm or not.· A child may suffer serious or permanent harm and even death as a result of neglect.· Yet if you can see it still protruding, you can retrieve it before serious harm is caused.· Actual bodily harm need not be serious harm and it has been held to include a hysterical and nervous condition.· Actual bodily harm must mean something less than serious harm.· How serious must the harm be?
VERB· She had come to no harm, but that was beside the point.· Your body simply does not need sugar and you could live without and come to no harm.· The dish can of course be reheated without coming to any harm.· In fact those worries are unfounded and the pond will come to no harm while they are enjoying themselves.· Chantal will come to no harm.· Can I honestly reassure her that she will come to no harm in pursuing this phenomenon?· He wondered if Rufus had children and if so did he worry about them coming to terrible harm the way Adam worried?
· On the other hand, she was gorgeous and it could do no harm to say hello.· Most people have been exposed to it, but if your-immune system is intact the protozoa will seldom do harm.· And it is clear that his association with new Labour initially did him no harm.· A terrible serpent guarded the Fleece, but she would lull it to sleep so that it would do them no harm.· A few days or weeks of not wanting to think about it will do no harm.· It was like a natural supplement and, I am sure, did no harm and may have done some good.· When taken in the prescribed manner they have never been shown to do any harm.
· Stripped of his power to inflict harm on me, he seemed terribly ordinary.· Whatever their number, with the technology available to them, they can inflict major harm.· He was charged with unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.· Thus, the government has no compelling justification for inflicting such harm.· Claire and Wynn were also charged with conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm on Cotter.· Women, it would seem, should be governed by some biological instinct that prevents them from inflicting harm.· In court Diaz admitted charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray and Walker admitted affray and assault causing actual bodily harm.
· In this conventional hierarchy, it is morally worse to intend harm than to be indifferent whether harm results from one's behaviour.· James Clarke, defending, claimed there was a lot of confusion and Mitchell did not intend any harm.
· She gave him her veil, which would keep him from harm as long as he was in the sea.· I realise you were desperate to protect him and keep him from harm.· His only thought is to keep the boy from harm.
· We mean you no harm but Monsieur Ralemberg is not the man he appears.· But really, he meant no harm.· Mrs Sugden meant no harm to anyone, but neither had she the intelligence to be really kind.· Rip assured the man that he meant no harm, but was just looking for his neighbors.· He hadn't meant any harm but his few words had set her against him.· That coach, as did Zoeller, said he meant no harm.· He didn't mean any harm, he just wanted to give them back.· He knew his father was a good man, a kind man, honest, meaning no harm to anyone.
· He was charged with unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm and with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.· Taxi driver Mason admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm on January 3 and arson between January 2 and 5.· Section 47 creates the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.· Garrington admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Ian Dixon and he was fined £50.· In March 1989 the police officer was served with summonses alleging two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.· In Spratt, though interpretations vary, the Court of Appeal seems to have required intentionally or recklessly occasioning actual bodily harm.· He also admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
· With it he could taste anything she gave him and suffer no harm.· As adults we are naturally protective of children and do not want them to suffer harm.· A child may suffer serious or permanent harm and even death as a result of neglect.· The coach did not in fact crash and if he had remained on it he would have suffered no harm.· First, the applicant must show that the child is actually suffering or likely to suffer harm which is significant.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► mean no harm/not mean any harm► there’s no harm in doing something/it does no harm to do something
- Move valuable objects out of harm's way when children are visiting.
- Fortunately, none of the hostages came to any serious harm.
- I'm sure Craig's old enough to catch a train into town without coming to any harm.
- If you keep quiet, you'll come to no harm.
- It wouldn't do you any harm to get some experience first.
WORD FAMILYnounharmharmlessnessadjectiveunharmedharmful ≠ harmlessverbharmadverbharmlessly
1damage, injury, or trouble caused by someone’s actions or by an event: The scandal did his career a lot of harm. Our children deserve protection from harm. → grievous bodily harm2come to no harm/not come to any harm to not be hurt or damaged: She was relieved to see the children had come to no harm.3mean no harm/not mean any harm to have no intention of hurting or upsetting anyone: She’s a terrible gossip but she means no harm.4there’s no harm in doing something/it does no harm to do something spoken used to suggest something to someone: There’s no harm in trying. It does no harm to ask.5 it wouldn’t do somebody any harm to do something spoken used to suggest that someone should do something that may be helpful or useful to them: It wouldn’t do you any harm to get some experience first.6out of harm’s way a)if someone or something is out of harm’s way, they are in a place where they cannot be hurt or damaged: Copies of your documents should be kept in a safe place, well out of harm’s way. b)if something dangerous is out of harm’s way, it is in a place where it cannot hurt anyone or damage anything: If you have small children, make sure that you store all medicines out of harm’s way.COLLOCATIONSverbsdo (something) harm· Try to choose products that do the least harm to the environment.cause (somebody/something) harm· Very small amounts of the chemical cause no lasting harm.inflict harm (=cause harm, especially physical harm)· None of us wants to inflict harm on another human being.suffer harm· A child can be taken into care if he is or is likely to suffer significant harm.prevent harm· He was put in a mental hospital to prevent harm to others.adjectivesgreat/serious/significant harm· If you drink too much alcohol, you can do yourself serious harm.physical harm· They were afraid that he would do them some actual physical harm.psychological/emotional harm· Depriving a child of love does irreparable emotional harm.environmental harm· The report highlights the environmental harm caused by transporting goods around the world.irreparable harm (=that cannot be made better)· The scandal has caused irreparable harm to his career.lasting/permanent harm· The injury caused him discomfort but no lasting harm.untold harm (=so much harm that it cannot be described completely)· This type of abuse can cause a child untold harm.potential harm· People need to be more aware of the potential harm of being overweight.phrasesdo more harm than good (=cause more problems rather than improve a situation)· If you don’t warm up properly, exercise may do more harm than good.no harm done spoken (=used to tell someone not to worry about something they have done)· ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push you.’ ‘Don’t worry, no harm done.’where’s the harm in that? spoken (=used when you think that something seems reasonable, although other people may not)· Sure, he gets attention when he performs at a charity event, but where’s the harm in that?COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘give harm’ or ‘make harm’. Say do harm or cause harm.harm1 nounharm2 verb
harmharm2 ●●○ verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
harm
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | harm |
| he, she, it | harms | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | harmed |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have harmed |
| he, she, it | has harmed | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had harmed |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will harm |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have harmed |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am harming |
| he, she, it | is harming | |
| you, we, they | are harming | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was harming |
| you, we, they | were harming | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been harming |
| he, she, it | has been harming | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been harming |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be harming |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been harming |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Any scandal will certainly harm the company's reputation.
- The most important consideration is that the environment is not harmed.
- There are fears that a trade agreement will harm the economy.
- These companies fish for tuna using methods that do not harm dolphins.
- These new export restrictions are sure to harm the economy.
- Walking out without giving any notice will only harm your career.
- As Polycarp prayed in silence, the flames encircled him, without harming him.
- Has it helped or harmed recipients?
- He would do anything, I think, to harm Arthur, even ally himself with the Saxons.
- If it was going to harm our sales it would have done it by now.
- The doom of all who harmed them was certain.
- When a national industry is harmed by imports, governments can raise tariffs without violating trade agreement.
THESAURUS
to have a bad effect on someone or something: · Many working mothers said having children harmed their careers.· A little hard work never harmed anyone.
to harm something badly. Damage is more serious than harm: · His reputation was damaged and his career was in ruins.· The affair has damaged people’s confidence in the government.
to be likely to harm someone or something: · Too much fatty food is bad for you.· All this rain is bad for business.
formal to be bad for something: · The new housing development will be detrimental to the character of this small town.
formal to harm something, especially someone’s ability to do something or the correct working of a system: · Any amount of alcohol that you drink will impair your ability to drive.· His vision was impaired.
to have a bad effect on the future success of something: · Don’t do anything to prejudice our chances of winning.
Longman Language Activatorto harm a person, group, country etc to have a bad effect on something, in a way that makes it weaker, less effective, or less successful: · Walking out without giving any notice will only harm your career.· Any scandal will certainly harm the company's reputation.· These new export restrictions are sure to harm the economy.· The most important consideration is that the environment is not harmed.
to permanently harm something such as the success, health, or image of a person, organization etc so that they are not as effective as before: · Several recent events have damaged the government's public image.· This is likely to damage Scott's reputation even more.seriously/badly damage something: · Smoking can seriously damage your health.· The company's future prospects will be badly damaged if this deal falls through.
to change or effect something in a harmful way: · Drinking so much is bound to have a bad effect on your health.· An increase in interest rates at the present time would definitely be bad for business.
to have a sudden bad effect on someone or something, harming them badly: · A sudden rise in inflation always hits living standards.be badly hit: · Southern England has been badly hit by flooding, and many homes are now without power.hit something/somebody hard: · Elderly people were the hardest hit by the increase in tax on fuel.
to have a bad effect on an organization or activity, by making it less successful or effective: · Most companies have been hurt by the economic slowdown.· This is mainly going to hurt those who already have least.
to harm the plans, chances, confidence etc of a person or organization: · It would be stupid to pretend this was anything but a blow to the prime minister.be a big/serious/severe etc blow: · The incident was a severe blow to UN peace efforts.· Losing the match against Rumania, dealt a huge blow to the team.
to harm something such as an ability or the way a body or system works - use this especially in medical or technical contexts: · If a witness is allowed to withhold evidence, it impairs the legal process.· Alcohol significantly impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.
formal to be likely to harm something: · Working in front of a computer all day may be detrimental to your eyesight.· Any further housing development will be detrimental to the character of this small town.
if you do something at the expense of someone or something else, you do it in order to gain an advantage, even if it harms them or has a bad effect on them: · Cigarette manufacturers continue to pursue profit at the expense of our children.· Many people are now working a fifty or sixty hour week, at the expense of their family life.
to seriously harm something by causing a lot of harm and confusion: · A major computer failure wrought havoc on the New York Subway last night.wreak havoc/play havoc with: · Working so late is starting to play havoc with her social life.
to harm yourself by your own actions: only harm yourself · They'll only harm themselves if they decide to leave the association.· By making the complaint the only person he harmed was himself.
to behave in a way that is certain to cause you harm, especially because of pride or anger: · It would be silly to give up your job now -- you'd just be cutting your own throat.
to continuously behave in a stupid way that results in you being harmed: · My mother was her own worst enemy. She knew she was ill but she did nothing to help herself.· Many drivers are their own worst enemy -- driving too close, driving too fast, all the usual faults.
to stupidly do something that seriously harms you, especially by saying something stupid or making plans that go badly wrong: · Once again, the government has shot itself in the foot -- this time by reducing widows' pensions.
to deliberately not do something that would make an unpleasant situation better for you, because you are too angry or proud to do it: · If you love him, ask him to stay. Otherwise you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
harming something or someone · Pushing kids so hard from such an early age is likely to have some harmful results.· Scientists tend to agree that most diets don't work and can be harmful.· The destruction of the ozone layer will have a very harmful effect on the environment.harmful to · 80% of Americans think that television is harmful to society and especially to children.
harmful and usually having a permanent effect: · Up to 1500 patients suffered damaging side-effects after taking the drug.· The publicity that followed the scandal has been extremely damaging.damaging to: · The British beef crisis was damaging to the livelihoods of thousands of people in the industry.
likely to harm someone or something, especially in a way that is not too serious - use this especially about something that could also have a good effect if the situation was different: · Doctors have a duty to inform patients of the possible negative side-effects of the drug.· The school environment can be a negative force as well as a positive one.
to have a harmful effect on something such as an activity, organization, or type of work: · When companies close down, it's bad for the town and bad for the local economy.· A bad marriage is bad for the kids.· Reading without good lighting is bad for your eyes.
likely to harm people's health or the environment · Scientists have recommended that new technology be used to target harmful bacteria.· Many of the products that we have around our homes are harmful if swallowed.· The protests were aimed at ending the dumping of harmful industrial waste at sea.harmful to · The sun's rays can be very harmful to the skin.
something that is poisonous contains a chemical that makes people, animals, or plants etc very ill or could kill them if they breathe it, swallow it, or touch it etc: · Don't drink that -- it's poisonous!· The adder is the only poisonous snake in Britain.highly poisonous: · Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous gas, mostly produced by cars.
: hazardous chemicals/waste/substances etc substances that are poisonous and will harm people, animals, or the environment if they are not dealt with or got rid of carefully: · Lead is one of the most hazardous substances known, causing cancer and nerve damage.· The building is now unoccupied, and all radioactive or hazardous materials have been removed.· We need better regulations regarding the transportation of hazardous waste along public roads.
chemicals, gases, or waste products that are poisonous and harmful to people, animals, or the environment - used especially in technical or scientific contexts : · Research has found that the drug contains a toxic chemical that can cause respiratory problems.toxic waste (=from factories etc): · We need more installations for the disposal of toxic waste.highly toxic: · highly toxic radioactive waste productstoxic to: · Carbon dioxide is not highly toxic to animals or humans in small amounts.
formal a noxious chemical or gas harms your health and is very unpleasant: · Residents have to put up with noxious fumes from the nearby factory.· Increasing tax on petrol would encourage people to drive smaller cars with fewer noxious emissions.
not harming anything or anyone · I don't know why you're so upset -- it was only a harmless bit of fun.· Radioactive waste needs to be stored for 25,000 years before it is harmless.harmless enough (=used to say that someone or something that may seem harmful, is in fact not harmful) · He's a little crazy, I know, but he's harmless enough.
not harmful - use this especially when people have said or believe that something or someone is harmful: · The producer dismissed the comment as quite innocuous.· The murder suspect was an innocuous-looking man with wire-framed glasses.seemingly/apparently innocuous (=seeming harmless, but actually intended to be harmful): · Someone stood up and asked the professor an apparently innocuous question about his laboratory work.
if an action, activity, experience etc does no harm , it does not harm someone or something and may even help: · Learning how to live on your own for a while will do you no harm at all.it would do no harm to do something: · I expect they've sold all the tickets, but it won't do any harm to ask.
: environment-friendly/ozone-friendly etc used especially about products in shops, meaning that they do not harm the environment etc: · Look for aerosols which say 'ozone-friendly' on the can.· Tighter laws are needed to prevent manufacturers from falsely claiming their products are environment friendly.
to damage the reputation of someone or something · If a representative gets drunk at a convention, it may harm their firm's reputation.· Sabine was completely loyal to you. She would never do anything to damage your reputation.
to give a group or place a bad reputation by behaving in an unacceptable way: · Students who are rude and scruffy give the school a bad name.· The regular brawling and violence in the bar had given it a bad name.· He was the type of person that gives insurance salesmen a bad name.
formal to damage the reputation of the organization that you work for or the job that you do by doing something bad or illegal - use this especially in legal or official contexts: · This is exactly the kind of incident that brings international companies into disrepute.· The officers were charged with bringing the police force into disrepute.
to make people stop trusting or believing in someone or something: · There was a plot by certain members of the opposition to discredit the government.· The old leaders were discredited by the massive defeats at Verdun and Flanders.· Through your selfishness, you have brought discredit on yourself and your whole family.
a cruel and unfair attack on someone's character: · All too often politicians discredit themselves by engaging in character assassination.
something that harms someone's character, reputation etc in someone's opinion: a slur/stain on somebody's character/reputation etc: · Baker accused the press of casting a slur on his reputation.· He was discharged from the army without a stain on his character.
an attempt to damage the reputation of a political opponent by secretly spreading false ideas about them, for example by telling a newspaper that they have done bad or dishonest things: · Kingsley denies all the rumours, saying he's the victim of a vicious smear campaign.smear campaign/whispering campaign against: · Allegations of instability, untrustworthiness and lack of political judgement - all these were part of the whispering campaign against her.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES The outbreak of hostilities will cause incalculable misery. His only thought was to keep the child from harm.
(=not have a bad effect on something or someone)· One or two chocolate cookies won’t do you any harm.
(=used to say that something had a bad effect rather than a good one)· I followed his advice but it did more harm than good.
(=make it less successful)· Sanctions have damaged the economy.
· The government insists that the dam will not harm the environment.
· A lot of chemicals used in industry cause harm to the environment.
The outbreak of hostilities will cause incalculable misery. His only thought was to keep the child from harm. (=not intend to harm, offend etc someone) I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm.· All her feelings had been for Gerry, with the coal-pitted hands, who had never harmed a soul.· She never harmed anyone when she was alive.· I know not what you people think of his kind, but he has never harmed a soul that I know of.· Each was bound to help and never harm the other.· I used to believe she would always protect me, I was certain she would never harm me.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
- The report has harmed the town's reputation as a health spa.
WORD FAMILYnounharmharmlessnessadjectiveunharmedharmful ≠ harmlessverbharmadverbharmlessly
1to have a bad effect on something: chemicals that harm the environmentRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that something is bad for something rather than that it harms something:· chemicals that are bad for the environment2to physically hurt a person or animal: The kidnappers didn’t harm him, thank God.3harm somebody’s image/reputation to make people have a worse opinion of a person or groupTHESAURUSharm to have a bad effect on someone or something: · Many working mothers said having children harmed their careers.· A little hard work never harmed anyone.damage to harm something badly. Damage is more serious than harm: · His reputation was damaged and his career was in ruins.· The affair has damaged people’s confidence in the government.be bad for somebody/something to be likely to harm someone or something: · Too much fatty food is bad for you.· All this rain is bad for business.be detrimental to something formal to be bad for something: · The new housing development will be detrimental to the character of this small town.impair formal to harm something, especially someone’s ability to do something or the correct working of a system: · Any amount of alcohol that you drink will impair your ability to drive.· His vision was impaired.prejudice /ˈpredʒədɪs/ to have a bad effect on the future success of something: · Don’t do anything to prejudice our chances of winning.- authority
- authorization
- authorize
- Authorized Version
- authorship
- autism
- autistic
- autistic spectrum
- autistic spectrum disorder
- auto-
- auto
- autobiographical
- autobiography
- autocracy
- autocrat
- autocratic
- autocratically
- Autocue
- autodialler
- autogas
- autograph
- autograph driving
- auto-immune disease
- automagically
- automaker