vindictive damages

2 definitions found

vindictive damages - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Vindictive \Vin*dic"tive\, a. [For vindicative, confused with L.
     vindicta revenge, punishment, fr. vindicare to vindicate. Cf.
     Vindicative.]
     1. Disposed to revenge; prompted or characterized by revenge;
        revengeful.
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              I am vindictive enough to repel force by force.
                                                    --Dryden.
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     2. Punitive. [Obs.]
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     Vindictive damages. (Law) See under Damage, n.
        [1913 Webster] -- Vin*dic"tive*ly, adv. --
        Vin*dic"tive*ness, n.
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  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.
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              He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool
              cutteth off the feet and drinketh damage. --Prov.
                                                    xxvi. 6.
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              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.
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     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.
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     Note: In common-law actions, the jury are the proper judges
           of damages.
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     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.
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