damages
gb/dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/ us/dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
B2
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
Nom
legal
C1
entity
1
Legal compensation money
money that someone must pay because they harmed another person or broke the law or a contract.
Schéma d’usage :
damages for [loss/injury]; claim/seek/award/pay damages
Erreur fréquente :
Do not use damages for ordinary physical harm in general English; use uncountable damage: “The storm caused a lot of damage.”
Synonymes
compensation (more general; money given to make up for loss or injury)
|
reparation (more formal; often for serious or historical harm)
|
restitution (emphasizes restoring what was lost or paying it back)
Collocations
claim damages
|seek damages
|sue for damages
|award damages
|pay damages
|recover damages
|damages claim
|damages award
|substantial damages
|monetary damages
Thèmes
law
|money
|conflict
|business
Exemples
- The company agreed to pay $2 million in damages to affected customers.
- She sued the hospital for damages after the operation left her unable to work.
- The jury awarded damages for lost income and emotional distress.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He had to pay damages after the accident.
- They asked for damages in court.
Nom
B2
quantity
2
Assessed financial losses
the amount of money that damage to something is estimated to cost.
Schéma d’usage :
damages from [event]; damages to [property]
Erreur fréquente :
In everyday English, damage is usually safer for the harm itself: “damage to the house,” not usually “damages to the house.”
Synonymes
losses (broader; may include money lost without physical damage)
|
costs (focuses on the amount that must be paid)
|
damage (more standard for the harm itself rather than its financial amount)
Collocations
estimated damages
|total damages
|assess damages
|calculate damages
|report damages
|storm damages
|flood damages
|crop damages
|damages from the hurricane
|damages to property
Thèmes
money
|insurance
|disasters
|property
|business
Exemples
- Officials estimated damages from the wildfire at more than $200 million.
- The insurance adjuster came to assess the damages to the roof and garage.
- The report listed crop damages after the long drought.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The damages from the flood were very high.
- They are still estimating the damages.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
damages
API
GB/dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
US/dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
Syllabes et accentuation
dam - ages (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (dam)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: damages
- Plural: damages
Expressions
compensatory damages
1/kəmpˈɛnsətˌɔɹi dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Damages covering actual loss
money paid to cover what a person actually lost or suffered.
Exemples
- She received compensatory damages for medical bills and lost wages.
- The court separated compensatory damages from punitive damages in its ruling.
damages for pain and suffering
1/dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz fɚ pˈeɪn ˈænd sˈʌfɚɪŋ/
fixed phrase
legal
Compensation for distress
money for the pain and emotional problems someone suffers after being injured.
Exemples
- The settlement included damages for pain and suffering as well as payment for medical expenses.
- Jurors considered how the accident affected his daily life when calculating damages for pain and suffering.
liquidated damages
1/lˈɪkwɪdˌeɪtɪd dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Contract-set damages amount
money a contract says must be paid if someone breaks the contract.
Exemples
- The contract required liquidated damages of $1,000 for each day the project was late.
- The court enforced the liquidated damages clause because the amount was reasonable.
liquidated damages
1/lˈɪkwɪdˌeɪtɪd dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
pre-agreed contract compensation
money that a contract says someone must pay if they break the agreement
Exemples
- The contract includes a liquidated damages clause for late delivery.
- The court upheld the liquidated damages because the amount was a reasonable estimate of loss.
- The supplier agreed to pay liquidated damages for each week of delay.
nominal damages
1/nˈɑmənəl dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Small symbolic damages
a small amount of money given mainly to show that someone’s rights were violated.
Exemples
- The judge awarded nominal damages of one dollar because the plaintiff’s rights had been violated but no loss was proved.
- He won the case but received only nominal damages.
punitive damages
1/pjˈunətɪv dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Money awarded to punish
Extra money in a lawsuit meant to punish the wrongdoer.
Exemples
- The jury awarded punitive damages after finding the company had acted deliberately.
- The judge reduced the punitive damages on appeal.
- Punitive damages are rare in some legal systems.
punitive damages
1/pjˈunətɪv dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Damages meant to punish
extra money a wrongdoer must pay as punishment, not just to cover the victim’s loss.
Exemples
- The jury awarded $5 million in punitive damages after finding that the company had acted recklessly.
- The plaintiffs are seeking punitive damages, arguing that the fraud was deliberate.
statutory damages
1/stˈæt͡ʃətˌɔɹi dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Damages set by law
money the law says can be awarded for a particular violation.
Exemples
- The photographer sought statutory damages for unauthorized use of her image.
- Under the law, consumers may receive statutory damages even when the exact loss is hard to prove.
sue for damages
1/sˈu fɚ dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
start a case to get compensation
to take someone to a civil court because you want money from them for harm or loss they caused
Exemples
- The family plans to sue for damages after the accident.
- If the product is unsafe, customers may sue for damages.
- Several investors are suing for damages over the failed project.
sue for damages
1/sˈu fɚ dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Seek compensation in court
to take someone to court because you want money for harm or loss they caused.
Exemples
- Residents sued the factory for damages after chemicals contaminated their wells.
- He plans to sue for damages over the cancelled contract.
treble damages
1/tɹˈɛbəl dˈæmɪd͡ʒɪz/
fixed phrase
legal
Triple damages amount
damages that are three times the normal amount.
Exemples
- The statute allows successful plaintiffs to recover treble damages.
- The company faced treble damages for violating antitrust law.