hurt

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hurt / hərt/ • v. (past and past part. hurt) [tr.] cause physical pain or injury to: Ow! You're hurting me! | [intr.] does acupuncture hurt? ∎  [intr.] (of a part of the body) suffer pain: my back hurts. ∎  cause mental pain or distress to (a person or their feelings): she didn't want to hurt his feelings. ∎  [intr.] (of a person) feel mental pain or distress: he was hurting badly, but he smiled through his tears. ∎  be detrimental to: high interest rates are hurting the local economy. ∎  [intr.] (hurt for) inf. have a pressing need for: Frank wasn't hurting for money.• n. physical injury; harm. ∎  mental pain or distress: the hurt of being constantly ignored | wariness that masked a hurt.