Origin: 1250–1300; ME < OF, equiv. to
dam (< L
damnum damage, fine) +
-age -age; see damn 
Related forms: dam⋅age⋅a⋅ble, adjective
dam⋅age⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, dam⋅age⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, noun
dam⋅ag⋅er, noun
Synonyms:
1. loss. Damage, detriment, harm, mischief refer to injuries of various kinds. Damage is the kind of injury or the effect of injury that directly impairs appearance, value, usefulness, soundness, etc.: Fire causes damage to property. Detriment is a falling off from an original condition as the result of damage, depreciation, devaluation, etc.: Overeating is a detriment to health. Harm may denote either physical hurt or mental, moral, or spiritual injury: bodily harm; harm to one's self-confidence. Mischief may be damage, harm, trouble, or misfortune caused by a person, esp. if maliciously: an enemy who would do one mischief. 4. impair, hurt.
[dam-ij] 
noun, verb, -aged, -ag⋅ing.