retribution

ret·ri·bu·tion

Even though Perry was nervous to testify in court for fear of retribution from the defendant, he didn't have a choice because he was subpoenaed.

noun

Retribution is defined as something done to get back at someone or the act of punishing someone for their actions.

An example of retribution is when someone gets the death penalty for committing murder.

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"retribution." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 12 November 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution>.

APA Style

retribution. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution

retribution

Archaic suitable repayment for one's actions; requital
punishment for evil done

Origin of retribution

Middle English retribucioun from Old French retribution from Ecclesiastical Late Latin retributio from Classical Latin retributus, past participle of retribuere, to repay from re-, back + tribuere, to pay: see tribute

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MLA Style

"retribution." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 12 November 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution>.

APA Style

retribution. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution

retribution

noun

Punishment administered in return for a wrong committed.
Theology Punishment or reward distributed in a future life based on performance in this one.

Origin of retribution

Middle English retribucion repayment, reward from Old French retribution from Late Latin retribūtiō retribūtiōn- from Latin retribūtus past participle of retribuere to pay back re- re- tribuere to grant ; see tribe .

Related Forms:

re·trib′u·tive re·trib′u·to·ry
adjective

re·trib′u·tive·ly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"retribution." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 12 November 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution>.

APA Style

retribution. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Retribution

Noun

(plural retributions)

Punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral outrage or personal vengeance.
1. Revenge is for an injury; retribution is for a wrong.
2. Retribution sets an internal limit to the amount of the punishment according to the seriousness of the wrong; revenge need not.
3. Revenge is personal; the agent of retribution need have no special or personal tie to the victim of the wrong for which he exacts retribution.
4. Revenge involves a particular emotional tone, pleasure in the suffering of another, while retribution need involve no emotional tone.

Origin

Latin, from retribuere (“assign again").

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.