damage

[ dam-ij ]

noun

1. injury or harm that reduces value or usefulness:

   The storm did considerable damage to the crops.

   Synonyms: loss

2. damages, Law. the estimated money equivalent for detriment or injury sustained.
3. Often damages. Informal. cost; expense; charge:

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

verb (used with object)

, dam·aged, dam·ag·ing.

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)

, dam·aged, dam·ag·ing.

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

Derived Forms

• ˌdamageaˈbility, noun
• ˈdamagingly, adverb
• ˈdamaging, adjective
• ˈdamageable, adjective
• ˈdamager, noun

Other Words From

• damage·a·ble adjective
• damage·a·ble·ness damage·a·bili·ty noun
• damag·er noun
• non·damage·a·ble adjective
• pre·damage noun verb (used with object) predamaged predamaging
• quasi-damaged adjective
• re·damage verb (used with object) redamaged redamaging
• un·damage·a·ble adjective
• un·damaged 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

Instead, he was joining other teachers sweeping up material from an early morning fire underneath the stadium bleachers that severely damaged the press box.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Devenport added that he was “occasionally a rival who did me professional damage, but on a personal level we were always very good friends”.

From BBC

If successful, the research undertaken by the team at UL also has the potential to remove environmentally damaging materials such as lead from consumer electronics.

From Science Daily

Chronic stress can inflict more serious damage to the immune system and make people more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, infertility, clinical anxiety, depression and other ailments.

From Los Angeles Times

Department of Agriculture operates natural disaster relief programs for eligible farmers that aim to help repair damage to farmlands, provide financial assistance or offer emergency loans, depending on their situation.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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