different between indemnify vs damnify

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?d?m.n?.fa?/

Etymology 1

From indemn (“unhurt”) + -ify (forming verbs)

Verb

indemnify (third-person singular simple present indemnifies, present participle indemnifying, simple past and past participle indemnified)

1. To secure against loss or damage; to insure.
   • 1670, Sir William Temple, letter to Lord Arlington, in The Works of Sir William Temple, page 101:

     The states must at last engage to the merchants here that they will indemnify them from all that shall fall out.

3. (chiefly law) To compensate or reimburse someone for some expense or injury.
   • 1906, Civil Code of the State of California^[1], page 405:

     The lender of a thing for use must indemnify the borrower for damage caused by defects or vices in it, which he knew at the time of lending, and concealed from the borrower.

Derived terms

• indemnifiable
• indemnification
• indemnifier

Related terms

• indemnity

Translations

Etymology 2

From in- (“into”) + damnify (“to injure; to wrong”), assimilated to indemn and indemnify (“secure against loss; compensate, reimburse”).

Verb

indemnify (third-person singular simple present indemnifies, present participle indemnifying, simple past and past participle indemnified)

1. (obsolete, rare) to hurt, to harm
   • 1583, Thomas Stocker's translation of A tragicall historie of the troubles and ciuile warres of the lowe Countries, i. 63a

     He... did not belieue that his Maiestie by this occasion coulde any way be endemnified.

   • 1593, Thomas Lodge, Life & Death of William Long Beard, E ij

     What harme the Rhodians haue doone thee, that thou so much indemnifiest them?

References

English

Etymology

From Old French damnifier, from Latin damnifico.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?dæmn?fa?/

Verb

damnify (third-person singular simple present damnifies, present participle damnifying, simple past and past participle damnified)

1. (obsolete) To damage physically; to injure.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.xi:

     he saw himselfe so freshly reare, / As if late fight had nought him damnifyde […]

   • 1638, Thomas Herbert, Some Yeares Travels, I:

     The infectious raines most damnifying the poore saylers, who must be upon the decks to hand in their sailes, abiding the brunt […]

   • 1704, Daniel Defoe, The Storm:

     The High Tide at Bristol spoil'd or damnify'd 1500 Hogsheds of Sugars and Tobaccoes, besides great quantities of other Goods.

2. (law) To cause injuries or loss to.

Derived terms

• indemnify

Related terms

• damn
• damnific

Translations