Middle English Dictionary Entry
harm n.
Entry Info
Forms | harm n. Also harem, -im, -ome, -um, arm(e, herm(e & (early) hearm, heærm, hærm(e, (dat. sg.) hareme, hearme, ærme, (gen. pl.) hærmene, (dat. pl.) harmen, hermen, hærmen. |
Etymology | OE hearm |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Loss, ruin, harm, injury, wrong, damage, bad fortune; also, an injury, a wrong, misfortune, nuisance; (b) a disease, sickness; also, a diseased part of the body; ~ or peine, a physical affliction; (c) moral evil, sin, deceit, treachery; also, a sin; (d) defamation, calumny, slander; seien (speken) ~, to utter defamation, speak ill (of sb.); tellen ~ bi, defame (sb.); (e) law a damage; pl. legal damages; (f) don harm(es, don to ~, to do harm or damage; do harm (to sb.), wrong (sb.); don ~ to (on), don to ~ on, do harm to (sb. or sth.), injure, damage; cacchen (lacchen, taken) ~, drauen (haven, henten) harm(es, sustain harm or injuries; sufferen harm(es, tholen ~, suffer harm; endure injury or suffering; werken harm(es, do harm.
Associated quotations
a
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1118 : His agene mæn..to þæs cynges hearme & swicdome heora castelas ageafon.
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.VA (Lamb 487)107 : [T]welf unþeawes beoð on þissere weorlde to hermen alle monnen.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)13 : Ic eou wulle werien wið elene [?read: elcne] herm.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4043 : Her wes hunger & hete; her wes alre hærmene mest.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9806 : Þær wes hærm [Otho: arm] mid þon meste bi-uoren Ex-chæstre.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)21894 : Þu hauest..ure leoden aslæȝen..mid feole cunne hærmen [Otho: mid fale harmes].
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)27029 : Seouen hundred auoten þa fuse weoren to harmen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30365 : Here-kempen heȝe, to hermen swiðe kene.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)29/10 : Hwilch harm oðer hwilc unȝelimp þe ðe to-cumþ, þench ðat ðu art wel wurðe ðes eueles.
- a1200 PMor.(Trin-C B.14.52)198 : Al his ofsprung after him in harem [vrr. herme, hearme, harme] is biualle.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1161 : Euer þu singist of manne hareme.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1260 : Nis heom þar fore harem no þe ner.
- ?c1250 PMor.(Eg 613(1))228 : Ic..wulle..warnen heom wit heore hearme, ȝif hi me wulled lusten.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)25875 : Ȝef þou hart erþ cniht, þou harm ibidest forþ riht.
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)588 : In þis manere comez þe harm þat men i-seoth of þe þonder.
- c1300 SLeg.Swithin (Hrl 2277)61 : A masoun..brak hire eiren..Þo þe womman hire harm iseȝ, ruliche heo gan bigynne.
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2314 : Ðis sonde hem ouertakeð raðe And bi-calleð of harme and scaðe.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)32/719 : So falle on þe..Swich arm and sschame and desonur, Ȝif þou do þi sone vnriȝt.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)8/34 : And yet zeneȝeþ he more þet deþ oþer porchaceþ ssame oþer harm to oþren wrongliche.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2407 : Boþe..bi-gunne to preie þat god..schuld gete him fro harm.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)461 : Kep þe silue with oute herm & be-þenk þe self to were.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2482 : Ne yeldeth noght harm for harm, ne wikked speche for wikked speche.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.718 : Jelousie..Makth that full many an harm arist.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)208b/a : A tre haþ..leues to saue and defende fruyte that is tendre fro harm and grief.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1396 : A blisful child Þat sal fra harm þe werld schild.
- (1402) Let.Zouche in RES 8 (PRO E 101/512/10)260 : Hit ys harme to me þat I am so longe with oute.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4708 : Of tweyne harmys þe lasse is for to chese.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.470 : Of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese.
- a1456(a1426) Lydg.Mum.Hertford (Trin-C R.3.20)45 : Robyn..Fynde noone amendes of harome ne damage.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)21 : No þing of vs..may perische ne suffre peyne to oure harim.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)9b : Þe oþer [bee]..spredyng brode about þe huye more for harm þan for profiȝt.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)p.45 : Seldun comyth on harme and no mo. Who is ferre from his disshe, is nyhgh his harme.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)3208 : Þe vomman..gan to tell hir tale of wrongis & of Armys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)75/347 : My lord, new harme is comyn in hand.
b
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.423 : The cause yknowe, and of his harm the roote, Anon he yaf the sike man his boote.
- c1390 Vrn.Mir.Virg.(Vrn)165/50 : Vnder his nekke heo putte hire Arm, Wiþ hire swete fyngres stroked his harm.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.624 : He that repreueth his neighebore..by som harm of peyne that he hath on his body, as 'mesel,' 'croked harlot.'
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2944 : Of all thyne harmes thei shall be leche.
c
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)69 : Gif we don ure wille þe us teoð eure to herme, and here iuel don..þat is unriht.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)9/10 : Giet hier is mare of ðe eueles kennes sade, ðe me hafð ofte idon godes aȝwene name forsweren..me seluen to weriȝen..and brohte unc baðe in to muchele harme.
- ?c1335 Þe grace of god (Hrl 913)40 : God..ȝef Adam in his mode To be stidfast wiþ al riȝt And leue þe harme and do gode.
- a1350 Middelerd for mon (Hrl 2253)43 : Of gomenes he mai gon al gelde ant sore ben fered on folde, lest he to harmes helde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.328 : Ye shul ben as goddes, knowynge good and harm.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.388-90 : Thanne is Pryde the general roote of alle harmes..no man kan outrely telle the nombre of the twigges and of the harmes that comen of Pride.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2364 : A fool..troweth lightly harm of euery wight and lightly troweth alle bountee in hym self.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2511 : Non may hyden his harme.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)252 : He hedit not the harme þat in his hert lurkyt.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3437 : Bot ȝour harmes were vnhid, I held noȝt myne athis.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)202/422 : I haue done so many harmes that now I see of feendes swarmes fron [read: from] hell cominge for me.
d
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)621 : Ȝif men tellen harm bi þi wyf..Til hit beo proued, leeue hit nouȝt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2483 : Blesse hym that seith to thee harm.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4456 : I kan noon harm of no womman deuyne.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.498 : The fifte spece [of backbiting] is..for to consente gladly and herkne gladly to the harm that men speke of oother folk.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.507 : Yet wol they seyn harm and grucche and murmure pryuely for verray despit.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2310 : I shal nat spare, for no curteisye, To speke hym harm that wolde vs vileynye.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.772 : He spak more harm than herte may bithynke.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3556 : Þus Guydo ay..To speke hem [women] harme haþ kauȝt an appetit.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.801 : How bisy..ek most I be To plesen hem..that they seye noon harm of me!
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)606 : Ne speke no harme be-hind þair bac.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1627 : Thy trumpe..is ycleped Sklaundre..that every wight Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse, In stede of good and worthynesse.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)18/28 : To speke harm of hem þat he wole hyndren.
e
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)213/3 : Þenne mot ha..Olhnin þe heiward, wearien hwen he punt hire, & ȝelden þah þe hearmes [Nero: hermes].
- (1434) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.16 : Þe distressis to kepe and witholde vnto tyme that þat þe forseyde ferme, togedris with þe harmys and scathis þerfore yhad, fully be payd and satefyed.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.45/35 : Þey may receyue þere catall, and after þe lawe of þe contree for þe harme satisfye.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.53/14 : If, for Defaute of my warantyzing or my heyres, harmys or Expensis þey renne in, whe shall satisfye them.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)160/10 : All harmes that she had by the occasion of the withholdyng of the forsaid rente.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)506/21 : They may..hold the distreynynges, tille hit were fully I-satisfied of the arreragis of the forsaid rente, yf ther were ony, with the harmes [L dampnis].
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.332 : Þey lacked alle vertues þat a juge shulde haue; For, er a tale were ytolde, þey wolde trie þe harmes.
f
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1101 : His men mycel to hearme æfre gedydon swa hi geferdon.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1103 : On morgen..gedyde se wind swa mycel to hearme..on eallon wæstman swa nan man ne gemunde þæt æfre ænig ær gedyde.
- a1121 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1117 : Manega mynstras & turas & huses gefeollon, & mycelne hearm on mannan gedydon.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)27 : Mare hit him deð to herme þenne to gode.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)31 : Nat ic hwer heo beoð, þeo men þe ic þene herm to dude.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)3823 : He ferde ouer þe Humbre and hermes he worhte.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9999 : Þe eorles..driuen heom in to ænne hæhne wude, þer heo heærm [Otho: harm] þolede.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)67 : Hand dide ofte harmes.
- c1225(?c1200) HMaid.(Bod 34)10/116 : Þet is unþeawes hus & naueð mare hearrm [vr. harm].
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)14/127 : Hefde a mon..ido me seoluen al þe scheome & te hearm [vr. harm] þet cwic mon mahte þolien.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)62/21 : Hire seolf bihalden hire ahne hwite honden deð hearm [Nero: herm to] moni ancre.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)125/11 : Ha doð him twa hearmes, bindeð him & bearneð.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)1837 : Hii leopen to þan folke and harmes [Clg: hurtes] hi wroþte.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)155 : Þreo harmes ich habbe for hire i-haued.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)471 : Mi siȝt may in no maner more harme wirche.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2786 : Wonder ar þine happes, þatow hentest al þe harm þat i haue deserued.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Judith 3.2 : Betere forsothe it is that..wee vsself suffre the harmys of oure seruyse.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)4.53 : In þat bataille þe Romayns were overcome more þan victors, and hadde more harme þan þey quytte.
- c1390 Disp.Virg.& Cross (Vrn)114 : Adam dude ful huge harmes Whon he bot a bite vndur a bouh.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23089 : O naked-hed..i drogh [Göt: toke] arme.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)166 : War þe wel..þy wedez ben clene, And honest for þe halyday, lest þou harme lache.
- c1400 SLeg.Geo.(2) (Min-U Z.822.N.81)116 : No maner of herme he may do ȝow.
- (1413) Will in Bdf.HRS 218 : Ȝyf eny man kan treuly say þat y haue do hym harme in body or in good.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2773 : For hope so sore doth hem desire To suffre ech harm that men devise.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3319 : What harmes he has hent, he halowes full sone.
- (1442) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8518 : Þe same place has taken mikel herm for defaut of a gutter.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)15a : Þy riȝt arme and þi riȝt side is..naked and vnkeuered and able to cacche harm.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)391/323 : All þat likis to leere My lawe and leue þer bye, Shall neuere haue harmes heere.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)3024 : Manye a stede drowȝ his harmes.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)40 : We ben hid in oure holis or we harm lacche.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)11/8 : We haue more harme than any othir nacion.
- ?c1450 St.Cuth.(Eg 3309)5589 : Lechis..did mare harme þan gude, For his sekenes mare encresyd.
- c1475 A philosophre (Hrl 372)p.33 : That must nede be, or elles harm shal be hent.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)39 : Suffer noon other to do me harme in thy reame.
- a1500 Tax has tenet (Dgb 196)23 : Harmes they dyde y-nowght.
2.
(a) Pain, grief, sorrow, suffering; also, a sorrow, etc.; (b) a matter for regret or sorrow; a pity.
Associated quotations
a
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)16231 : Þus ændede þer mid muchele ærme [Otho: wowe] Vortiger.
- a1250 Cristes milde moder (Nero A.14)36 : Godes riche..þer ðe neure deað ne come, ne herm, ne sorinesse.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)20438 : Þo was Englene lond mid harme i-fulled.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)453 : I haue leuer þat loue þan lac al mi harmes.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.2232 : But mercy, lady bright, that..seest what harmes that I feele..and rewe vpon my soore.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.666 : The thridde greuance is a man to haue harm in his body.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)166b/b : Reysyn þer of ben chief medicynes aȝens yuel and harmes [L incommoda] of dyuers sekenesse.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2326 : He toke and grepe þe knyȝtys arme, But he felt þer-of none harme.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24089 : Þis harm mi hert it held sa hard.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)388 : I hente ofte harmez hate.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.8294 : He vp ros anon, Whiche of his stroke harme ne felt non.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2749 : Drye as well the greete see Thou myghtist, as the harmes telle Of hem that with love dwelle.
- a1456(?1428) Lydg.Compl.Lady Glo.(Trin-C R.3.20)28 : With sobbing..Preying þe Lord of Rightwysnesse Of mercy þeyre haromes to redresse.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)131/13 : To see hym selfe and hir to dye to gedre, itt did hym grete harme.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)21 : We ne maȝen alre coste halden crist bibode..þet us is þe mare herm!
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)6377 : Ah hit wes muchel hærme [Otho: harm] of ane mon swa hende, þat þurh his wraððe his wif [read: wit] wes awemmed.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8140 : Herigal was þes kinges mæi, þet wes hærm [Otho: harm] a þen ilke dæi.
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)1983 : A wunde..he haues..þoru his arum; Þer-of is ful mikel harum.
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)117/148 : Fele fel out of þe turels & broken boþe legges & arm & her neckes -- þat was non harm!
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.385 : But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, That on his shyne a mormal hadde he.
- c1390 Þe man þt luste (Vrn)70 : Þe tonges þat such bargeyn gon brewe, Hit weore non harm þouȝ þei were brent.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1908 : If that he deyde, it were harm and routhe.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)2.350 : If therwithal in yow ther be no routhe, Than is it harm ye lyven, by my trouthe!
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)162/24 : It is gret harm þat he beleueth not feithfully in god.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)4230 : It was harme it wanted oght.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)20/29 : Itt were grete harme that I schuld sloo the, by Mahounde.
3.
(a) In cpds. & combs.: ~ dede, an injurious action; ~ doere, offender; ~ doinge, the act of doing harm; ~ skathe, harm, injury; (b) in surnames.
Associated quotations
a
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)299 : Husebondes hire [the fox] haten for hire harm dedes.
- (1386) in Rymer's Foedera (1709-10)7.526 : Yair sall not be at ya Rydings no Harme doynges.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2772 : Ye shullen gete richesses..with outen wrong or harm doynge to any oother persone.
- (1447-8) Shillingford97 : Mynysters..laboured to save the saide Hues lyf..withoute comaundement or knouleche of the saide Dean and Chapitre or eny harme doing or menyng to ony maner officer.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.108v : Thay shulde be punysshed yf any harme were do withinne here hundred, thow they nuste he were the harme doer.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)1645 : From harme skath [?read: harme and skath] I wole you shelde.
b
- (1176) in Pipe R.Soc.2576 : Ricardus Harm.
- (1176) in Pipe R.Soc.25164 : Aluredus Herm.
- (1205) Fine R.King John251 : Johannis Kepeharm.
- (1256) Feet Fines Sus.in Sus.RS 726 : Ricardus Harm'.
- (c1273) Hundred R.Tower 1426a : Quidam Flandrensis nomine Harmebredere.