/ hɜːt; NAmE hɜːrt/ 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.
[ v ]
My shoes hurt—they're too tight.
➡ note at injure
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 .
[ vn to inf ]
It hurt me to think that he would lie to me.
[also v to inf ]
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.
➡ note at damage
6.
[ v ] be hurting (for sth) ( NAmE ) 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)
—more at fly noun , hit verb
■ adjective
1.
injured physically :
None of the passengers were badly hurt .
OPP unhurt
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.
••
SYNONYMS
hurt
ache ♦ burn ♦ sting ♦ tingle ♦ throb
These are all words that can be used when part of your body feels painful.
hurt
(of part of your body) to feel painful; (of an action) to cause pain:
My feet hurt.
•
Ouch! That hurt!
ache
to feel a continuous dull pain:
I'm aching all over.
burn
(of part of your body) to feel very hot and painful:
Our eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air.
sting
to make sb feel a sharp burning pain or uncomfortable feeling in part of their body; (of part of your body) to feel this pain:
My eyes were stinging from the smoke.
tingle
(of part of your body) to feel as if a lot of small sharp points are pushing into the skin there:
The cold air made her face tingle.
throb
(of part of your body) to feel pain as a series of regular beats:
His head throbbed painfully.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to hurt / ache / burn / sting / tingle / throb from sth
Your eyes hurt / ache / burn / sting.
Your flesh / skin hurts / burns / stings / tingles.
Your head hurts / aches / throbs.
Your stomach hurts / aches.
to really hurt / ache / burn / sting / tingle / throb
to hurt / ache / sting badly / a lot
It hurts / stings / tingles.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (originally in the senses to strike and a blow ): from Old French hurter (verb), hurt (noun), perhaps ultimately of Germanic origin.