Definition of: injury

(in′jər·ē) noun plural ·ries
1. Any wrong, damage, or mischief done or suffered.
2. A source of harm.
3. A wrong or damage done to another; the unlawful infringement or privation of rights.
4. Obs. Abuse; insult. [<AF injurie <L injuria <injurius injust <in-not + jus, juris right, law] Synonyms: blemish, damage, detriment, disadvantage, evil, harm, hurt, impairment, injustice, loss, mischief, outrage, prejudice, wrong. Injury is the general term including all the rest. Whatever reduces the value, utility, beauty, or desirableness of anything is an injury to that thing; of persons, whatever is so done as to operate adversely to one in his person, rights, property, or reputation is an injury. Damage (L damnum, loss) is that which occasions loss to the possessor; hence, damage reduces value, utility, or beauty; detriment (L deterere, to rub or wear away) is similar in meaning, but far milder. As a rule, the slightest use of an article by a purchaser operates to its detriment if again offered for sale, even when the article may not have received the slightest damage. Damage is partial; loss is properly absolute as far as it is predicted at all; the loss of a ship implies that it is gone beyond recovery; the loss of the rudder is a damage to the ship; but since the loss of a part still leaves a part, we may speak of a partial or total loss. Evil commonly suggests suffering or sin, or both; as, the evils of poverty, the social evil. Harm is closely synonymous with injury; it may apply to body, mind, or estate, but always affects real worth, while injury may concern only estimated value. A hurt is an injury that causes pain, physical or mental; a slight hurt may be no real harm. Mischief is disarrangement, trouble, or harm usually caused by some voluntary agent, with or without injurious intent; a child's thoughtless sport may do great mischief; wrong is harm done with evil intent. An outrage combines insult and injury. Compare synonyms for BLEMISH, INJUSTICE, LOSS, OUTRAGE, VIOLENCE. Antonyms: advantage, amelioration, benefit, blessing, boon, help, improvement, remedy, service, utility.