Search Result for "punitive_damages":
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct);
[syn: punitive damages, exemplary damages, smart money]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Damage \Dam"age\ (d[a^]m"[asl]j; 48), 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. [1913 Webster] He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage. --Prov. xxvi. 6. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] Note: In common-law actions, the jury are the proper judges of damages. [1913 Webster] Consequential damage. See under Consequential. Exemplary damages (Law), damages imposed by way of example to others. Similar in purpose to vindictive damages, below. Nominal damages (Law), those given for a violation of a right where no actual loss has accrued. vindictive damages or punitive damages, those given specially for the punishment of the wrongdoer. Syn: Mischief; injury; harm; hurt; detriment; evil; ill. See Mischief. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

punitive damages n 1: (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct) [syn: punitive damages, exemplary damages, smart money]