hurt a fly
(Redirected from wouldn't hurt a fly)
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]hurt a fly (third-person singular simple present hurts a fly, present participle hurting a fly, simple past and past participle hurt a fly)
- (idiomatic, chiefly in the negative, chiefly with a conditional) To hurt or damage something even a little.
- 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter XI, in Jeeves in the Offing:
- 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.
Usage notes
[edit]- Chiefly used in the negative, in a form such as "wouldn't hurt a fly" or "is incapable of hurting a fly", with the meaning "has a very gentle nature, is incapable of violence".
Synonyms
[edit]Translations
[edit]idiomatic: be of very gentle nature
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