early 13c., "power of a lord or master, jurisdiction," from Anglo-Fr. daunger, O.Fr. dangier "power to harm, mastery," alteration (due to assoc. with damnum) of dongier, from V.L. *dominarium "power of a lord," from L. dominus "lord, master" (see
domain). Modern sense of
"risk, peril" (from being in the control of someone or something else) evolved first in French and was in English late 14c. Replaced O.E. pleoh; in early M.E. this sense is found in
peril.