Middle English Dictionary Entry
harmen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | harmen v. Also harm(e, harmi, haremi, armen, hermen, hermi(e, hernen & (early) hærmen, hearmen. |
| Etymology | OE hearmian |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. iharmen.
1.
(a) To injure (sb.), persecute, wrong, vex; obstruct (an action), damage (sth., a city); (b) to do wrong or harm; ppl. harming, detrimental; (c) ~ to, to be detrimental to (sb. or sth.); (d) to rival (sb.), displace, supplant.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(OE) Lamb.Hom.Pentec.(Lamb 487)97 : Paul, þet hermede cristene men, þen he iches to larðewe alle þeoden.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)161 : Hwile lat te deuel hem on fele wise, and haremeð hem, and shendeð.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)38/4 : Sei me..þurh hwas heaste heane ȝe hali men, & hearmið [vr. harmeð] & weorrið hare werkes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)66/2 : Þu dest me freame & hearmest [Nero: hermest] te seoluen.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)181/33 : Non vuel ne schal hermen [Corp-C: nahhi] þe.
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)635 : Þat ne mihte þis kinges folk of ham anne haremi.
- c1300 SLeg.Lucy (Hrl 2277)142 : Nemiȝte þat fur hire enes brenne, ne harmi worþ a fille.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)96/301 : To hermy in body man, Oþer in hys oþer þynge.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)1295 : It miȝte hermye ȝow alle in cas if my fader miȝt it spie.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)3201 : Muche he hermeþ þe Ameral wiþ assautes he hym makeþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.26.29 : We..ne han ydon þat schulde harme þe.
- c1390 KTars (Vrn)43/407 : Þerfore þei mihte hire harme [Auch: derd] nouht.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2737 : I kan nat se that it myghte greetly harme me.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4354 : Where a Prince hise lustes suieth..Whan it is time to ben armed, His contre stant fulofte harmed.
- a1400(c1340) Rolle Psalter (Hat 12)10/72 : Naman may be excused þat harmes a gode man in word or dede.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)2.166 : Holy chirche for hem worþ harmid [vrr. harmed, harmet, armed] for euere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.7003 : Þat non of hem be hardy in þis strife Þenbassatours to harmen or to greue.
- a1425(c1340) Rolle Psalter (LdMisc 286)128.3 : Thei gert me bere thair malice, bakbitand me with worde, and harmand me in dede.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)32 : Aman sal not harme his awne saule for to help an noþer manes body.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)228 : Harmyd: Dampnificatus. Harmyn: Dampnifico.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.194r : The barons of Hertfordshire .. rubbed Wircetreshire in lenthe and in brede, And all the countreyes aboute and to the toune right .., but to harmy the toune ne hadde they no myght.
- c1450(?1436) Siege Calais (Rome 1306)105 : They hurt neither man, woman, ne childe; Houses, though, they did harme.
- a1450(1408) *Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)10b : Suche kniȝtes haue more harmed þe oost þan profited.
- c1460 My fayr lady (Hrl 2255)204 : Hire cote armure, though it be rente, Yit hernyd she nevir the bak.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)233/10 : But thou hyghe the fro this heth, hit woll harme us both.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)143 : Provided alway, that no man be harmyd..in the arrerages off such livelod as he shall þan haue.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)60b : To harme: Dampnificare.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)9935 : Þurh þat lond he ærnde, & hæȝede [?read: hærȝede] and hærmde.
- c1225(?c1200) SWard (Bod 34)34/313 : Ha liuieð..wiðuten euch þing þet mahe hearmin [vr. harmen] oðer eilin.
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)110/323 : Onde hys a senne of herte, And bouute scheweþ hy, To harmy and to herte, Wanne hy deþ bacbyty.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.129 : He..hangiþ hym for hattrede þat harmide [vrr. harmyd, harmede, harmed] neuere.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.4519 : Who may more harmen, ȝif hym liste, Þan an enmye vp-on whom men triste?
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Satan & P.(Corp-C 296)270 : Euere it harmeþ to lie, but sumtyme it profitiþ to be stille.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)5943 : Mony dange to the dede with dynt of his hond; Who happit hym to hitte harmyt nomo.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)3879 : A-baste noȝt ȝoure hertis..Bot hedis haly to my hand, & harmes þar-eftire.
- a1500(?1421) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)28 : He asketh you al that ever he shulde, pertening and helping to this matiere, and all that is impertinent and harmyng to be had awaye.
c
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)23/8 : To oþren ha wyle harmy.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Cor.7.19 : Circumcysyoun..to þe hele noþer it profites noþer it harmys.
d
- (?1440) Palladius (DukeH d.2)4.472 : Y saugh..That fruyt to fruyt fro gre to gre succedith, That children yonge her eldren aftir harme [L gloss.: emulantur].
2.
To suffer, grieve, be vexed; also, sustain damage.
Associated quotations
- c1330 Assump.Virg.(2) (Auch)153 : Þerfore ich wepe and mai nowt blinne, For we sschullen parten atwinne; Min herte armez sore.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)10/8 : Ine þise heste ous ys uorbode..uor to do harmi þine emcristen.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1810 : Gete vs..bolaces & blake-beries..so þat for hunger, i hope, harm schul we neuer.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)19453 : For to here neuen iesus nam Þai held it bath scencip and scam..Þai harmd nathing mar in hert [Trin-C: Hem harmed no þing more in hert].
- c1475 Rwl.Prov.(Rwl D.328)122 : Cum pes calessit satulor damnum que capessit. When þe wote warmyd than þe scho harmyd.