damage // noun, verb

■ noun

ACTUAL DAMAGES, APPARENT DAMAGE, CIVIL DAMAGE, COMPENSATORY DAMAGE, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE, EXEMPLARY DAMAGE, LIQUIDATED DAMAGE, NOMINAL DAMAGE, NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGE, PUNITIVE DAMAGE

1 [U]

physical harm caused to sth which makes it less valuable or for which sb can claim money from an insurance company:

The storm didn't do much damage.

The cost of the damage is estimated at $30 million.

The policy covers the building for accidental damage.

The fire caused thousands of dollars' worth of damage to the buildings.

It is difficult to assess the extent of the damage at this stage.

❖ to cause/do damage (to sb/sth)

◆ to suffer damage

◆ to assess/prevent/repair damage

◆ considerable/extensive/irreparable/permanent/serious/severe damage

◆ accidental/environmental/structural damage

◆ bomb/fire/flood/smoke/storm damage

2 [U]

harmful effects on sb/sth:

damage to a person's reputation

This could cause serious damage to the country's economy.

❖ to cause/do damage (to sb/sth)

◆ inflict damage (on sb/sth)

◆ to suffer damage

◆ to assess/repair damage

◆ considerable/irreparable/long-term/serious damage

◆ financial/political damage

3 (Law ) damages [pl.]

money that a court orders a person, company, etc. to pay to sb, because they have caused them harm, injury or loss:

He was ordered to pay damages of €50 000.

The jury awarded the plaintiff $505 million in damages.

They brought a damages claim against the manufacturer.

She received €30 000 damages for personal injury.

❖ to be awarded/receive/recover/win damages

◆ to claim/seek for/sue damages

◆ a damages action/award/claim

WHICH WORD?

damage/damages

Damage [U] refers to the harm that is done to something:

• Did the fire cause much damage?

• The fire caused terrible damages?

Damages [plural] has a different meaning. It refers to the money paid to someone as part of a legal case:

She is suing the company for damages. • He was awarded damages of €100 000.

The word injury [C/U], not damage, is used to describe harm done to a person's body:

The driver suffered serious injuries.

The driver suffered serious damage

■ verb [+ obj]

to harm or spoil sb/sth:

The fire badly damaged the offices.

Investor confidence has been seriously damaged by the scandal.

Her strategies are damaging the company.

• resale
• reschedule
• rescind
• rescue
• research
• research and development
• research manager
• resell
• reseller
• reservation
• reservation price
• reserve
• reserve currency
• reserve fund
• reserve price
• reserve requirement
• reshape
• reshuffle
• resident
• residential
• residual
• residual income
• residual value
• resign
• resignation