minimal damage
[ˈmɪnɪməl ˈdæmɪdʒ]
noun phrasepl: minimal damages
dano mínimo
1. The least amount of harm, injury, or impairment that can occur to something or someone; slight or negligible damage
The airbag system protected the passengers with minimal damage to the vehicle.
O sistema de airbag protegeu os passageiros com dano mínimo ao veículo.
2. In legal contexts, compensation awarded for harm that is very small or insignificant
The court awarded minimal damages since the injury was not severe.
O tribunal concedeu indenização mínima, pois a lesão não foi grave.
3. A controlled outcome where destructive effects are kept to the lowest possible level
The surgical procedure was performed with minimal damage to surrounding tissue.
O procedimento cirúrgico foi realizado com dano mínimo aos tecidos circundantes.
The phrase 'minimal damage' is frequently used in Brazilian legal, insurance, and technical contexts. In the USA, it's common in accident reports and insurance claims. In Portugal, 'avaria mínima' is preferred in maritime insurance language. The concept reflects a practical assessment of harm severity across both business and everyday situations in English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking cultures.
NYC Slang
no major damage / just a scratch
Related Idioms & Phrases
walk away with minimal damage
get off with minimal damage
emerge with minimal damage
escape with minimal damage to one's reputation
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →