reprisal

Reprisal is an act of using force or causing injury for vengeance.

(noun)

An example of reprisal is when one country bombs another to retaliate for that country's earlier military hostilities.

See reprisal in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Historical the forcible seizure of property or subjects in retaliation for an injury inflicted by another country
the act or practice of using force, short of war, against another nation to obtain redress of grievances
injury done, or the doing of injury, in return for injury received; retaliation or an act of retaliation, specif. in war, as the killing of prisoners

Origin: ME reprisail < MFr reprisaille < It rappresaglia < riprendere, to take back < L reprehendere: see reprehend

See reprisal in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Retaliation for an injury with the intent of inflicting at least as much injury in return.
Forcible seizure of an enemy's goods or subjects in retaliation for injuries inflicted.
The practice of using political or military force without actually resorting to war.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English reprisail

Origin: , from Old French reprisaille

Origin: , from Old Italian ripresaglia

Origin: , from ripreso

Origin: , past participle of riprendere, to take back

Origin: , from Latin reprehendere, reprēndere, to take hold of; see reprehend

Learn more about reprisal

reprisal synonyms

reprisal Culture

reprisal in a sentence

link/cite print suggestion box