Phrase guide

hurt a fly

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To hurt or damage something even a little.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: на мра́вката път пра́вя (na mrávkata pǎt právja) — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Czech: ani mouše by neublížil — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Danish: ikke gøre en flue fortræd — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Finnish: ei tekisi pahaa kärpäsellekään — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • French: ne pas faire de mal à une mouche — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Galician: non matar unha mosca — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • German: einer Fliege etwas zuleide tun — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • German: kein Wässerchen trüben können — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Greek: μερμήγκι δεν πατάει (mermígki den patáei) — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Hungarian: légynek sem árt — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Italian: non fare male a una mosca — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Russian: му́хи не оби́дит (múxi ne obídit) — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Swedish: inte göra en fluga illa — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
  • Swedish: inte göra en fluga förnär — idiomatic: be of very gentle nature