actual bodily harm

noun

Hurt or injury which interferes with the health or comfort of the victim and which is more than transient or trifling.

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Meanings

nounactual bodily harm (uncountable)

alternative abbreviation ABH

  1. UKuncountablestrictlylawHurt or injury which interferes with the health or comfort of the victim and which is more than transient or trifling.
  2. UKbroadlyuncountablelawThe criminal offence of causing actual bodily harm.

    Anthony Williams (32), of Langford Road, Peterborough, was arrested and charged with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of ABH (Actual Bodily Harm), and one count of possession of a bladed article.

    2025 November 12, David Stubbings, “Knife attack: heroes hailed for saving lives”, in RAIL, number 1048, page 10
Cite this entry
APA

actual bodily harm. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actual%20bodily%20harm

MLA

“actual bodily harm.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actual%20bodily%20harm. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “actual bodily harm,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/actual%20bodily%20harm.

Source: actual bodily harm on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.