damage

[dam-ij]

noun

1. injury or harm that reduces value or usefulness.

   The storm did considerable damage to the crops.

   Synonyms: loss

2. Law.,  damages, the estimated money equivalent for detriment or injury sustained.

3. Informal.,  Often damages. cost; expense; charge.

   What are the damages for the lubrication job on my car?

verb (used with object)

damaged, damaging 

1. to cause damage to; injure or harm; reduce the value or usefulness of.

   He damaged the saw on a nail.

   Synonyms: hurt, impair

verb (used without object)

damaged, damaging 

1. to become damaged.

   Soft wood damages easily.

damage

/ ˈdæmɪdʒ /

noun

1. injury or harm impairing the function or condition of a person or thing

2. loss of something desirable

3. informal,  cost; expense (esp in the phrase what's the damage? )

verb

1. (tr) to cause damage to

2. (intr) to suffer damage

Other Word Forms

• damageability noun
• damagingly adverb
• damaging adjective
• damageable adjective
• damager noun
• damageableness noun
• nondamageable adjective
• predamage noun
• quasi-damaged adjective
• redamage verb (used with object)
• undamageable adjective
• undamaged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of damage¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, equivalent to dam (from Latin damnum “damage, fine”) + -age -age; damn

Word History and Origins

Origin of damage¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin damnum injury, loss, fine

Idioms and Phrases

• do one wrong (damage)
• the damage

Synonym Study

Damage, detriment, harm, mischief refer to injuries of various kinds. Damage is the kind of injury or the effect of injury that directly impairs appearance, value, usefulness, soundness, etc.: Fire causes damage to property. Detriment is a falling off from an original condition as the result of damage, depreciation, devaluation, etc.: Overeating is a detriment to health. Harm may denote either physical hurt or mental, moral, or spiritual injury: bodily harm; harm to one's self-confidence. Mischief may be damage, harm, trouble, or misfortune caused by a person, especially if maliciously: an enemy who would do one mischief.

Example Sentences

But earlier this year a company operating out of China pretending to be a Birmingham-based jewellers began using the C'est la vie name, damaging the reputation of Ms Newman's business.

Read more on BBC

The drone will do the rest, he says, finding the target, dropping explosives, assessing the damage and then returning to base.

Read more on BBC

“Because these are public entities, they’re not going to be liable for punitive damages.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The more long-term damage may be to the traditionally good business relations between the two countries.

Read more on BBC

The lawsuit is the latest development in an effort to hold companies responsible for what New York says is the damage resulting from their products.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• batter 
• break 
• burn 
• contaminate 
• harm 
• hurt 
• impair 
• infect 
• injure 
• maim 
• mangle 
• mar 
• pollute 
• ravage 
• ruin 
• scorch 
• smash 
• tarnish 
• tear 
• undermine