harm (redirected from doing more harm than good)

*in harm's way

Fig. liable to be harmed; subject to potential causes of harm. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; put someone ~.) Soldiers are expected to know what to do when they are in harm's way.

See also: way

*out of harm's way

Fig. not liable to be harmed; away from any causes of harm. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; get someone ~.) We should try to get all the civilians out of harm's way.

See also: out, way

come to harm

to experience something bad; to get damaged or harmed. I sincerely hope that you do not come to harm. I hope no one comes to harm.

See also: come

No harm done.

It is all right. No one or nothing has been harmed. It's okay. No harm done. A: I am sorry I stepped on your toe. B: No harm done.

See also: done

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harm a hair on somebody's head

to hurt someone (often negative) He adores the girl - he wouldn't harm a hair on her head. If he so much as harms a hair on her head, I won't be responsible for my actions.

See wouldn't harm a fly

See also: hair, head

wouldn't harm/hurt a fly

if you say that someone wouldn't hurt a fly, you mean that they are a gentle person and that they would not do anything to injure or upset anyone Damian just isn't the violent type. He wouldn't hurt a fly.

See fly the flag, let fly, fly the nest

See also: fly

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do more harm than good

to be damaging rather than helpful Giving children too much freedom often does more harm than good.

Usage notes: usually said about things that are intended to be helpful but do not have a good result

See also: good, more

no harm, no foul

there is no problem if no serious damage was done In his excitement, he deleted all the files, but they were restored later from a backup copy - no harm, no foul.

Etymology: from the use of this phrase in basketball (a sport) to say that if an action that is against the rules has no effect on the results of the game, there should be no foul (punishment)

See also: foul