Dictionary Home »
Webster's New World College Dictionary » retaliate
retaliate 
retaliate definition
re·tali·ate (ri tal′ē āt′)
intransitive verb retaliated -·at′ed, retaliating -·at′·ing
to return like for like; esp., to return evil for evil; pay back injury for injury
Etymology: < LL retaliatus, pp. of retaliare, to require, retaliate < L re-, back + talio, punishment in kind, akin to Welsh tāl, compensation
transitive verb
to return an injury, wrong, etc. for (an injury, wrong, etc. given); requite in kind
Related Forms:
- retaliation re·tal′ia′·tion noun
- retaliative re·tal′ia′·tive adjective or retaliatory re·tal′ia·to′ry (-tal′yə tôr′ē, -tal′ē ə-)
Browse dictionary definitions near retaliate
Also Mentioned In