1 a [+ obj] : to cause pain or injury to (yourself, someone else, or a part of your body)
▪ Be careful with that knife or you could hurt yourself. ▪ Ouch! You're hurting my arm! ▪ I hurt my back (while) carrying a heavy box up the stairs. ▪ She was badly/seriously hurt in a car accident. ▪ My tooth/back still hurts me. ▪ Don't worry about the dog—he wouldn't hurt a fly. [=the dog would never bite or attack anyone; the dog is very gentle] synonyms injure
b [no obj] : to be a source or cause of pain
▪ My tooth/back hurts (a lot/little). ▪ It hurts [=it is painful] to walk on hot pavement with bare feet. ▪ The injection didn't hurt at all. = It didn't hurt a bit. ▪ Ouch! That hurts! ▪ My arm hurts very badly. = (informally) My arm hurts like hell. ▪ My leg hurt. = (chiefly US) My leg was hurting.
c [no obj] : to feel physical pain
▪ When I woke up this morning I hurt all over. 2 a [+ obj] : to make (someone) sad or upset : to cause (someone) to suffer emotionally
▪ Their lack of interest in her work hurt her deeply. ▪ You're only hurting yourself by holding a grudge against them. ▪ It hurt me to see her go. ▪ It hurts me to say this [=I don't enjoy saying this], but I just don't think you can do the job. ▪ I can't tell him the meal was bad because I don't want to hurt his feelings. [=hurt him; make him sad or upset]
b [no obj] : to feel emotional pain or distress
▪ My sister has really been hurting [=has been very upset and unhappy] since her boyfriend left her. 3 : to do harm to (someone or something) : to affect (someone or something) in a bad or harmful way : damage [+ obj] ▪ The lack of rain has hurt the corn crop. ▪ If we lose this game it will seriously hurt our chances of making the play-offs. ▪ These new regulations will hurt small businesses. ▪ hurt profits/sales ▪ There's no doubt that this scandal has hurt her image. ▪ Would it hurt you to cook dinner for once? = It wouldn't hurt you to cook dinner for once. [=you should cook dinner] ▪ As far as he's concerned, what he doesn't know can't/won't hurt him. [=he would rather not know about something; he thinks that if he does not know about something, he cannot be damaged by it, blamed for it, etc.] [no obj] ▪ The company needs to cut spending, even if it hurts. — usually used in negative statements ▪ I know he's qualified for the job, but it doesn't hurt [=it helps] that the company president is his mother's best friend. ▪ It wouldn't hurt to try a little harder. [=you should try a little harder] ▪ We may not finish on time, but it won't hurt to try. [=we should try] ▪ “Should I ask her for a job?” “It couldn't/can't hurt (to ask).” [=she may give you a job if you ask] 4 [no obj] : to have many problems : to be in a bad situation or condition
▪ Those poor people are hurting and need our help. ▪ The local economy is hurting right now. [=it is doing poorly]