Harm, n.
Etymology: [OE.harm, hearm, AS.hearm; akin to OS. harm, G. harm grief, Icel. harmr, Dan. harme, Sw. harm; cf. OSlav. & Russ. sram' shame, Skr. crama toil, fatigue.]
1. Injury; hurt; damage; detriment; misfortune.
2. That which causes injury, damage, or loss. We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms. Shak.
Syn. -- Mischief; evil; loss; injury. See Mischief.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Harm, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Harmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Harming.]
To hurt; to injure; to damage; to wrong. Though yet he never harmed me. Shak. No ground of enmity between us known Why he should mean me ill or seek to harm. Milton.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for harm; he lists it under abuse, injury, misfortune.
Where he writes about it:
It is possible to abuse a man without harming him, as when the criminal vituperates the judge; or to harm a man without abusing him, as when the witness tells the truth about the criminal. — from abuse
Harm is closely synonymous with injury; it may apply to body, mind, or estate, but always affects real worth, while injury may concern only estimated value. — from injury
A hurt is an injury that causes pain, physical or mental; a slight hurt may be no real harm. — from injury
Mischief is disarrangement, trouble, or harm usually caused by some voluntary agent, with or without injurious intent; a child's thoughtless sport may do great mischief; wrong is harm done with evil intent. — from injury
Synonyms
abuseinjurymisfortuneadversityafflictionaggrievebereavementblemishblowcalamitychasteningchastisementdamagedefamedefiledetrimentdisadvantagedisappointmentdisasterdisparagedistressevilfailurehardshiphurtillill fortuneill luckill-treatill-useimpairmentimpose oninjureinjusticelossmalignmaltreatmisadventuremischancemischiefmisemploymiserymishapmisusemolestoppressoutragepersecutepervertprejudiceprostituterail atravishreproachreverserevileruinslandersorrowstroketrialtribulationtroubleuponvictimizevilifyviolatevisitationvituperatewrong
Antonyms
advantageameliorationamendapplaudbenefitblessingbooncare forcherishcomfortconserveconsiderconsolationeulogizeextolfavorgood fortunegood luckgratificationhappinesshelpimprovementjoylaudpanegyrizepleasurepraiseprofitprosperityprotectregardreliefremedyrespectserviceshieldsuccesssustaintendtriumphupholdutilityvindicate