Definition

1. Noun:

   • Damage or injury: Harm refers to physical injury or damage to something or someone.
   • Negative effect or change: It can also mean a negative effect or a change for the worse.
   • Wrong or evil: In a broader sense, it can refer to moral wrong or evil.

2. Verb:

   • To cause damage or injury: To harm someone or something means to cause them physical damage, injury, or a negative effect.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The storm caused great harm to the coastal village.
  • I meant no harm; it was just a joke.
  • Exposure to the chemical poses no harm to humans.

• Verb:

  • Be careful not to harm the delicate equipment.
  • Gossip can harm a person's reputation.
  • These cleaning products are designed not to harm the environment.

Advanced Usage

• "Out of harm's way": In a safe place where no damage or injury can occur.

  • We moved the valuable paintings out of harm's way before the party.

• "No harm done": Used to say that a situation has not resulted in any serious problem or damage.

  • It was just a misunderstanding; no harm done.

• "More harm than good": Causing more negative effects than positive ones.

  • The new policy is doing more harm than good.

Variants and Related Words

• Harmful (adj): Causing or capable of causing harm.

  • Smoking is harmful to your health.

• Harmless (adj): Not able or likely to cause harm.

  • It was a harmless prank.

• Harmlessness (n): The quality of being harmless.

Synonyms

• Damage: Physical harm that impairs the value, usefulness, or normal function.
• Injury: Physical harm or damage to a person's body.
• Detriment: The state of being harmed or damaged.
• Hurt: To cause physical pain or injury.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Harm" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meaning is typically direct.)

Related Idioms

• "Come to no harm": To not be injured or damaged.

  • Don't worry, the children will come to no harm at the park.

• "There's no harm in (doing something)": Used to suggest that an action is worth trying because it will not cause problems.

  • There's no harm in asking for a discount.

Noun

1. the act of damaging something or someone
2. the occurrence of a change for the worse
3. any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

Verb

1. cause or do harm to
   • These pills won't harm your system