| Language: | Old English |
| Origin: | hearm |
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harm1 S3
[uncountable]
[uncountable]1 damage, injury, or trouble caused by someone's actions or by an event COLLOCATIONS 
do harm (to something)/do something harm cause (somebody/something) harm suffer harm do more harm than good (=cause more problems rather than improving the situation) serious harm physical harm psychological/emotional harm there is no harm in (doing) something (=used to say that something seems reasonable) where's the harm in that? spoken (=used when you think that something seems reasonable, although other people may not) no harm done spoken (=used to tell someone not to worry about something they have done)

do harm (to something)/do something harm cause (somebody/something) harm suffer harm do more harm than good (=cause more problems rather than improving the situation) serious harm physical harm psychological/emotional harm there is no harm in (doing) something (=used to say that something seems reasonable) where's the harm in that? spoken (=used when you think that something seems reasonable, although other people may not) no harm done spoken (=used to tell someone not to worry about something they have done)
2 to not be hurt or damaged :
She was relieved to see the children had come to no harm.
come to no harm/not come to any harm
She was relieved to see the children had come to no harm.3 to have no intention of hurting or upsetting anyone :
She's a terrible gossip but she means no harm.
mean no harm/not mean any harm
She's a terrible gossip but she means no harm.4 used to suggest something to someone :
There's no harm in trying.
It does no harm to ask.
there's no harm in doing something/it does no harm to do something
spoken
There's no harm in trying.
It does no harm to ask.5 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.
it wouldn't do somebody any harm to do something
spoken
It wouldn't do you any harm to get some experience first.6
out 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.
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.
If you have small children, make sure that you store all medicines out of harm's way.




