hurt a fly en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic, in the negative, with a conditional) To hurt or damage something even a little.
Talking of being eaten by dogs, there's a dachshund at Brinkley who when you first meet him will give you the impression that he plans to convert you into a light snack between his regular meals. Pay no attention. It's all eyewash. […] He wouldn't hurt a fly, but he has to put up a front because his name's Poppet. One can readily appreciate that when a dog hears himself addressed day in and day out as Poppet, he feels he must throw his weight about. His self-respect demands it.
1960, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter XI, in Jeeves in the Offing:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hurting a fly | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| hurts a fly | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| hurt a fly | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| hurt a fly | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (14)
de einer Fliege etwas zuleide tun (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · da ikke gøre en flue fortræd (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · cs ani mouše by neublížil (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · el μερμήγκι δεν πατάει (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · it non fare male a una mosca (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · de kein Wässerchen trüben können (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · sv inte göra en fluga förnär (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · fr ne pas faire de mal à une mouche (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · gl non matar unha mosca (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · fi ei tekisi pahaa kärpäsellekään (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · bg на мра́вката път пра́вя (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · hu légynek sem árt (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · ru му́хи не оби́дит (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature) · sv inte göra en fluga illa (idiomatic: be of very gentle nature)