Definition of sort for Students. 1  1 : a group of persons or things that have something in common : kind all sorts of people. 2  2 : person 1, individual He was not a bad sort. 3  3 : general disposition : nature people of an evil sort.
Punitive Damages Definition: Special and highly exceptional damages ordered by a court against a defendant where the act or omission which caused the suit, was of a particularly heinous, malicious or highhanded nature.
For other uses, see Damages (disambiguation). In law, damages are an award, typically of money, to be paid to a person as compensation for loss or injury. The rules for damages can and frequently do vary based on the type of claim which is presented (e.g., breach of contract versus a tort claim) and the jurisdiction. At common law, damages are categorized into compensatory (or actual) damages, and punitive damages.