v. Forms: α. 6–7 endammage, (-dge), 5–7 -dommage, -domage, (7 -damnage), 4–5 endamage(n, 4– endamage. β. 5–7 indamage, 6 -domage, 6–7 -dammage. [In 14th c. f. EN-1 + DAMAGE sb., or a. OF. *endamagier (cf. the parallel formation adamagier in 13th c.). In 15th c. refashioned as endommage, -domage, after the contemporary Fr. endommagier of equivalent formation; but this form died out early in 17th c.]
trans. To inflict damage or injury upon.
1. To affect (persons, a community, etc.) detrimentally with regard to property, health, reputation, or general well-being. Also absol.
α. c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., I. iv. 15. It [coempcioun] schulde greetly tourmentyn and endamagen al þe prouince of compaigne.
1477. Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 107. The kyng shal contynuelly be endommaged, seke of body and of the soule.
a. 1521. Helyas, in Thoms, Prose Rom. (1828), III. 12. If I thought to haue endomaged you of one seile [? read selie] ferdynge.
1546. Langley, Pol. Verg. De Invent., I. i. 1 a. To euery man … wer allotted two angels: wherof thone went about to endamage vs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. xii. 38. That never more he mote endammadge wight With his vile tongue, which many had defamed.
1635. Quarles, Embl., I. xi. (1718), 47. The Devil smileth that he may endamage.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. xiii. 101. Inclosure with depopulation endamnageth the parties themselves.
1655. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., I. (1858), Pref. 8. No loss is so doleful as that gain, that will endamage the soul.
1694. Child, Disc. Trade (ed. 4), 211. The Dutch … will in all probability never endamage this Kingdom by the growth of their Plantations.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat., I. 346. That justice is better than iniquity, springs from the powers of men to benefit or endamage one another.
1828–40. Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 161. That … neither the proprietor nor the cultivator [be] endamaged by the sudden desertion of the ground.
β. 1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 22. Pream., Many … subgettis ben … lette and indamaged in their bilding and husbondry.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., II. (1851), 37. The man could not … much indammage the Roman Empire.
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, v. § 16. 78. I am endammag’d in my goods.
b. To damage, injure (reputation, health, welfare); to injure, prejudice, discredit (a cause, etc.).
α. 1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 98. They might in many sorts endomage the common safetie of Italy.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 187 b. That the maiestie of Freewill may not by any meanes bee endamaged.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, I. viii. (1660), 46. A guilt of endamaging the lives of millions.
1620. Venner, Via Recta (1650), 13. The South winde … endamageth our healths.
1675. Burnet, Royal Martyr, &c. 29. Nor was Christianity endamaged by all that fury.
1691. Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. 14. There is so much want of Money, and Trade is still endamag’d by it.
1828. Blackw. Mag., XXIV. 624/1. The heads of the press … then discovered that these proceedings, so edifying to the public, were endamaging their reputation.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., I. 177. Theologians … seriously endamage a sacred cause.
β. 1698. Christ Exalted, § 10. 9. These Sermons could not indamage the good Correspondence between the Brethren.
† 2. To damage physically, inflict material injury upon (a person or thing); to spoil (a thing) so as to make it less fit for its purpose. Obs.
α. 1475. Caxton, Jason, 30. Tronchonyng their speris upon his shelde, withoute endomagyng his shelde.
1576. Baker, Jewell of Health, 62 b. Those partes endammaged or grieued with the Goute.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, II. 39. Their substance was light, and Cartilaginous, to be lesse endammaged by outward force.
1583. Mascall, Plant. & Graff. (1592), 47. Take heede of those graffes, the which many wormes and Flyes doe endomage.
1667. H. Stubbe, in Phil. Trans., II. 495. But the Guns which lay in the Salt-water, were not much endammaged by Rust.
1690. Luttrell, Brief. Rel. (1857), II. 28. A great storm … had endamaged several of the ships.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. x. (1741), 205. The Thames swells … over its Banks, and Westminster is a little endamaged in its Cellars.
1816. Scott, Antiq., iii. [Calthrops] to endamage the sitting part of a learned professor of Utrecht.
β. 1583. Mascall, Plant. & Graff. (1592). Exhort., Cattell, indomaging your plants or Trees.
1686. Voy. Emp. China to E. Tartary, in Misc. Cur. (1708), III. 190. The Bark … was … indammaged by the agitation of the Waves.
† 3. In military sense: To do harm to (the enemy, a hostile country). Obs.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. ix. M vj. There neuer medled any power with theim, that was able to conquere theim: or muche to endamage theim.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VIII. vii. 404. Then coasting the shore, shrewdly endammaged Kent.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xxvi. (1821), 471. To endammage the Enemy that hee may not hinder you.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, I. xxvi. (1715), 151. I’ll never be the Cause of weakning or endamaging my Country.
¶ 4. Used for ENDANGER v. 4.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1649), 313. Hee will endamage the losse of one halfe of his Realme.
