damages
n. uncountablen. money that a court orders someone to pay because they caused harm or loss to another person. It is a legal way to fix a mistake or injury.
n. a sum of money claimed or awarded in compensation for a loss or an injury. This sense is distinct from the general plural of 'damage' and refers specifically to legal restitution.
The judge ordered the company to pay damages.
The court awarded the plaintiff substantial damages to cover medical expenses and lost wages after the accident.
Legal counsel argued that punitive damages were necessary to deter the corporation from future negligence, rather than merely compensating the victim for their immediate financial losses.
Always used in the plural form when referring to legal compensation; the singular 'damage' refers to the physical harm itself.
The court awarded a damage of $1000.The court awarded damages of $1000.In a legal context, the word must be plural ('damages') to mean financial compensation.