hurt

Universal Words verb, adjective, noun verb (hurt, hurt) 1 to cause physical pain to sb/yourself; to injure sb/yourself: [VN] He hurt his back playing squash. * Did you hurt yourself? * Stop it. You're hurting me. * My back is really hurting me today. * Strong light hurts my eyes. * [V] My shoes hurt-they're too tight. 2 [V] to feel painful: My feet hurt. * Ouch! That hurt! * It hurts when I bend my knee. 3 to make sb unhappy or upset: [V] What really hurt was that he never answered my letter. * [VN] I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. * I didn't want to hurt his feelings. * [VNtoinf] It hurt me to think that he would lie to me. [also Vtoinf] 4 [V] (be hurting) (informal) to feel unhappy or upset: I know you're hurting and I want to help you. 5 [VN] to have a bad effect on sb/sth: Many people on low incomes will be hurt by the government's plans. * Hard work never hurt anyone. 6 [V] (be hurting) (for sth) (AmE) to be in a difficult situation because you need sth, especially money: His campaign is already hurting for money. IDIOMS it won't / wouldn't hurt (sb/sth) (to do sth) used to say that sb should do a particular thing: It wouldn't hurt you to help with the housework occasionally. moreatFLYn., HITv. adjective 1 injured physically: None of the passengers were badly hurt. OPPUNHURT 2 upset and offended by sth that sb has said or done: a hurt look / expression * She was deeply hurt that she had not been invited. * Martha's hurt pride showed in her eyes. noun [U,sing.] a feeling of unhappiness because sb has been unkind or unfair to you: There was hurt and real anger in her voice. * It was a hurt that would take a long time to heal.