Damage

/ˈdæmɪdʒ/ noun

Definition

Physical harm that makes something less useful, less valuable, or less able to work; as a verb, to cause such harm.

Etymology

From Old French 'damage' meaning 'loss or harm', from Latin 'damnum' meaning 'harm or loss'. It originally had strong legal and financial senses.

Kelly Says

Damage isn’t just about breaking things—it’s about reducing their power to do what they’re meant to do. A scratch on a car might look small, but in law it counts because value and usefulness changed.

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