Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Damage \Dam"age\, n. [OF. damage, domage, F. dommage, fr.
assumed LL. damnaticum, from L. damnum damage. See {Damn}.]
1. Injury or harm to person, property, or reputation; an
inflicted loss of value; detriment; hurt; mischief.
He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage. --Prov.
xxvi. 6.
Great errors and absurdities many commit for want of
a friend to tell them of them, to the great damage
both of their fame and fortune. --Bacon.
2. pl. (Law) The estimated reparation in money for detriment
or injury sustained; a compensation, recompense, or
satisfaction to one party, for a wrong or injury actually
done to him by another.
Note: In common-law action, the jury are the proper judges of
damages.
{Consequential damage}. See under {Consequential}.
{Exemplary damages} (Law), damages imposed by way of example
to others.
{Nominal damages} (Law), those given for a violation of a
right where no actual loss has accrued.
{Vindictive damages}, those given specially for the
punishment of the wrongdoer.
Syn: Mischief; injury; harm; hurt; detriment; evil; ill. See
{Mischief}.
Source : WordNet®
nominal damages
n : (law) a trivial sum (usually $1.00) awarded as recognition
that a legal injury was sustained (as for technical
violations of a contract)