DETRIMENT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does detriment mean? 

• DETRIMENT (noun)
  The noun DETRIMENT has 1 sense:

1. a damage or loss

  Familiarity information: DETRIMENT used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DETRIMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A damage or loss

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

detriment; hurt

Hypernyms ("detriment" is a kind of...):

damage; harm; impairment (the occurrence of a change for the worse)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "detriment"):

expense (a detriment or sacrifice)

Derivation:

detrimental ((sometimes followed by 'to') causing harm or injury)

 Context examples 

The proposed tea-drinkings being quite impracticable, I compounded with Miss Lavinia for permission to visit every Saturday afternoon, without detriment to my privileged Sundays.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Item, that after sundry japes and jokes the said brother John did lift up the said Mary Sowley and did take, carry, and convey her across a stream, to the infinite relish of the devil and the exceeding detriment of his own soul, which scandalous and wilful falling away was witnessed by three members of our order.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"It's a love of a bonnet, but I prefer the face inside, for it looks young and happy again," and John kissed the smiling face, to the great detriment of the rosebud under the chin.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I felt the greatest admiration for the virtues of this young lady; and, honestly with the view of doing my best to prevent the good-nature of Traddles from being imposed upon, to the detriment of their joint prospects in life, inquired how Mr. Micawber was?

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Mr. Bhaer's face had lost the absent-minded expression, and looked all alive with interest in the present moment, actually young and handsome, she thought, forgetting to compare him with Laurie, as she usually did strange men, to their great detriment.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The charges against the said brother John are the following, namely, to wit: First, that on the above-mentioned Feast of the Assumption, small beer having been served to the novices in the proportion of one quart to each four, the said brother John did drain the pot at one draught to the detriment of brother Paul, brother Porphyry and brother Ambrose, who could scarce eat their none-meat of salted stock-fish on account of their exceeding dryness.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)