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injure

[in-jer]
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verb (used with object), in·jured, in·jur·ing.
  1. to do or cause harm of any kind to; damage; hurt; impair: to injure one's hand.
  2. to do wrong or injustice to.
  3. to wound or offend: to injure a friend's feelings.

Origin of injure

1575–85; back formation from injury (noun); replacing injury (v.)
Related formsin·jur·a·ble, adjectivein·jur·er, nounqua·si-in·jured, adjectivere·in·jure, verb (used with object), re·in·jured, re·in·jur·ing.un·in·jured, adjectiveun·in·jur·ing, adjective

Synonyms

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1. spoil, ruin, break, mar. Injure, impair mean to harm or damage something. Injure is a general term referring to any kind or degree of damage: to injure one's spine; to injure one's reputation. To impair is to make imperfect in any way, often with a suggestion of progressive deterioration and of permanency in the result: One's health is impaired by overwork. 2. maltreat, abuse.

Antonyms

1. benefit.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for reinjure

injure

verb (tr)
  1. to cause physical or mental harm or suffering to; hurt or wound
  2. to offend, esp by an injustice
Derived Formsinjurable, adjectiveinjured, adjectiveinjurer, noun

Word Origin

C16: back formation from injury
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reinjure

injure

v.

mid-15c., "do an injustice to, dishonor," probably a back-formation from injury, or else from Middle French injuriier, from Latin injurare. Injury also served as a verb (late 15c.). Related: Injured; injuring.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper