dam·age

(dăm′ĭj)

1. Destruction or a loss in value, usefulness, or ability resulting from an action or event.

2. damages Law Money required to be paid as compensation for an injury or wrong.

3. Informal Cost; price: What's the damage for the tickets to the show?

v. dam·aged, dam·ag·ing, dam·ag·es

v.tr.

To cause damage to.

v.intr.

To suffer or be susceptible to damage.

[Middle English, from Old French : dam, loss (from Latin damnum) + -age, -age.]

dam′age·a·bil′i·ty n.

dam′age·a·ble adj.

dam′ag·ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

damages

(ˈdæmɪdʒɪz)

pl n

(Law) law money to be paid as compensation to a person for injury, loss, etc

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

damages - a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury

amends, indemnification, redress, restitution, indemnity

compensation - something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)

relief - (law) redress awarded by a court; "was the relief supposed to be protection from future harm or compensation for past injury?"

actual damages, compensatory damages, general damages - (law) compensation for losses that can readily be proven to have occurred and for which the injured party has the right to be compensated

nominal damages - (law) a trivial sum (usually $1.00) awarded as recognition that a legal injury was sustained (as for technical violations of a contract)

exemplary damages, punitive damages, smart money - (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct)

atonement, expiation, satisfaction - compensation for a wrong; "we were unable to get satisfaction from the local store"

Translations

Schadenersatz

daños y perjuicios

indennizzo

damages

n., pl. daños y perjuicios.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"He should a-got the damages. He was a good worker an' never made trouble."

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The drayman was proved to be very drunk, and was fined, and the brewer had to pay damages to our master; but there was no one to pay damages to poor Captain.

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Besides, what can prevent confusion on the bench when one judge thinks a fine should be different from what another has set it at; one proposing twenty minae, another ten, or be it more or less, another four, and another five; and it is evident, that in this manner they will differ from each other, while some will give the whole damages sued for, and others nothing; in this situation, how shall their determinations be settled?

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For if one has friends near at hand to repair damages, nothing very serious can happen to you."

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We hear sometimes of an action for damages against the unqualified medical practitioner, who has deformed a broken limb in pretending to heal it.

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Heaps of reports to come in but I don't believe they've done much damage."

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Now the buildings of the outer court were at least five feet high, and it was impossible for me to stride over them without infinite damage to the pile, though the walls were strongly built of hewn stone, and four inches thick.

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I know you make a great deal of money by this kind of thing, but consider the damage you inflict upon the business of others!"

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"The President is very particular," said the Man who brought him the news; "he thinks the same loss of life might be effected with less damage to the company's property."

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But all the same, she has forgotten one person, who will certainly kill you if you fall asleep and let the wolves damage the tree.

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He is liable for direct damage both to your chimneys and any collateral damage caused by fall of bricks into garden, etc., etc.

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It must have taken her a long time to do so much damage. Lawson's portrait of him had been cut cross-ways and gaped hideously.

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