damnify

American  

[dam-nuh-fahy] / ˈdæm nəˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

Law.

damnified, damnifying

1. to cause loss or damage to.

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damnify British  

/ ˈdæmnɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. law to cause loss or damage to (a person); injure

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Other Word Forms

• damnification
  noun
• undamnified
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of damnify

1505–15; < Middle French damnifier, Old French < Late Latin damnificāre, derivative of Latin damnific ( us ) harmful, equivalent to damn ( um ) damage + -ificus ( see -i-, -fic); see -ify

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

damnify damnified damnifying

"Alexander commanded his soldiers neither to damnify Pindarus, the poet, nor any of his family."

From Microcosmography or, a Piece of the World Discovered; in Essays and Characters by John Earle

In Haverhill, in 1708, young women were permitted to build pews, provided they did not "damnify the Stairway."

From Sabbath in Puritan New England by Alice Morse Earle

Secondly, a man may damnify another by preventing him from obtaining what he was on the way to obtain.

From Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province by Saint Thomas Aquinas

But seeing it was our happs to damnify each other unwillingly, let us be content with our harms, and lay the fault where it was, and so become friends.

From Fair Em by Shakespeare (spurious and doubtful works)

Received from Mr. Duncan Campbell Three Bailes Merchandise, Whereof one he had opened being much damnified by water....

From The Book of Buried Treasure Being a True History of the Gold, Jewels, and Plate of Pirates, Galleons, etc., which are sought for to this day by Ralph Delahaye Paine

The most gracious prince is bounde to doe his indeuor, that the parties damnified may haue restitution of their goods made vnto them, or at least complete iustice and iudgement without delay.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 05 Central and Southern Europe by Richard Hakluyt

There be also books which are partly useful and excellent, partly culpable and pernicious; this work will ask as many more officials, to make expurgations and expunctions, that the commonwealth of learning be not damnified.

From Areopagitica A speech for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing to the Parliament of England by John Milton

The historian of the civil wars declares that Piso spoke up for Antony, saying that he should not be damnified by loose statements, but should be openly accused.

From The Life of Cicero Volume II. by Anthony Trollope

The overlordship of the Imperial Parliament remains in any scheme of Home Rule unimpaired, and any man damnified because of his religion can appeal in last resort to the Imperial Army and Navy.

From The Open Secret of Ireland by T. M. (Thomas Michael) Kettle

The thirty-first question was so framed that, if truthfully replied to, it was certain to elicit facts which would form the groundwork of damnifying strictures on the principal abuses of the time.

From The Story of the Upper Canada Rebellion by John Charles Dent

Also the British High Commissioner has issued a damnifying proclamation against Jameson and all British abettors of his game.

From Following the Equator, Part 7 by Mark Twain

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