Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DAM'AGE, n. [Fr. dommage; Arm. doumaich; Norm. domage; Sax. dem; L. damnum; Sp. daño; Port. dano; It. danno; Ir. damaiste. This word seems to be allied to the Greek ζημια, a fine or mulct, Ch. ומה or ומי, to impose a fine. But qu. See Damn.]

1. Any hurt, injury or harm to one's estate; any loss of property sustained; any hinderance to the increase of property; or any obstruction to the success of an enterprise. A man suffers damage by the destruction of his corn, by the burning of his house, by the detention of a ship which defeats a profitable voyage, or by the failure of a profitable undertaking. Damage then is any actual loss, or the prevention of profit. It is usually and properly applied to property, but sometimes to reputation and other things which are valuable. But in the latter case, injury is more correctly used.
2. The value of what is lost; the estimated equivalent for detriment or injury sustained; that which is given or adjudged to repair a loss. This is the legal signification of the word. It is the province of a jury to assess damages in trespass. In this sense, the word is generally used in the plural.