Etymology Dictionary

HARM,  injury, wrong.  (E.)   M.E. harm, P. Plowman, C. xvi. 113; spelt herm, Ancren Riwle, p. 116.—A.S. hearm, herm, grief of mind, also harm, injury; Grein, ii. 60. + Icel. harmr, grief. + Dan. harme, wrath. + Swed. harm, anger, grief, pity. + G. harm, grief.   β. Cf. Russ. srame, shame; Skt. çrama, toil, fatigue.   The latter is from the vb. çram, to exert one's self, toil, be weary.—✔KRAM, or KARM, to be tired; whence some derive also Lat. clemens, and E. clement (Fick, i. 48).   Der. harm, verb, M.E. harmen, spelt hearmin in O. Eng. Homilies, ed. Morris, p. 263, l. 7; harm-ful, Wyclif, Prov. i. 22; harm-ful-ly, harm-ful-ness; harm-less = M.E. harmles, Will. of Palerne, 1671; harm-less-ly, harm-less-ness.