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revenge definition

re·venge (ri venj′)

transitive verb revenged -·venged′, revenging -·veng′·ing

  1. to inflict damage, injury, or punishment in return for (an injury, insult, etc.); retaliate for
  2. to take vengeance in behalf of (a person, oneself, etc.); avenge

Etymology: ME revengen < OFr revenger < re-, again + vengier, to take vengeance < L vindicare: see vindicate

intransitive verb

Obsolete to take vengeance

noun

  1. the act of revenging; vengeance
  2. what is done in revenging
  3. desire to take vengeance; vindictive spirit
  4. a chance to retaliate or get satisfaction, as by a return match after a defeat

Related Forms:

revenge Idioms

be revenged

to get revenge

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

revenge Synonyms

revenge

n.

  1. The act of returning an injury

    vengeance, requital, reprisal, getting even, measure for measure, an eye for an eye, blow for blow, tit for tat, repayment, return of evil for evil, counterattack, sortie, counterinsurgency, retaliation, retribution, avenging, paying back, settling accounts; see also attack 1.

    Antonyms pardon*, forgiveness*, excusing.

  2. The desire to obtain revenge

    vindictiveness, rancor, implacability, ruthlessness, malevolence, vengefulness, spitefulness, ill-will, animus, vendetta; see also hate, malice.


revenge

v.

avenge, retaliate, vindicate, requite, get even with, take revenge, have one's revenge, breathe vengeance, wreak one's vengeance, exact retribution, pay back, pay off, make reprisal, punish, repay, repay in kind, return like for like, return blow for blow, give tit for tat, reciprocate, settle accounts, square accounts, settle up, pay back in one's own coin, take an eye for an eye, turn the tables on, get back at, fight back, be out for blood, give an exchange, give and take, give someone their just deserts, get satisfaction, even the score, get*, fix*, give someone their comeuppance*, pay off old scores*, settle a score*, return the compliment*, pay back in spades*, fix one's wagon*, give a taste of one's own medicine*, give as good as one gets*.

Antonyms forgive*, condone*, pardon.

revenge implies the infliction of punishment as an act of retaliation, usually for an injury against oneself, and connotes personal malice, bitter resentment, or vindictive spirit as the moving force; avenge implies the infliction of deserved or just punishment for wrongs or oppression


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

revenge Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • vow: Her eldest son is sacrificed by Titus; she vows revenge.

Preposition: for

  • defeat: In Netball the 1st team will be seeking revenge for the single point defeat at the hands of Sheffield Hallam.

Adjective modifier

  • exact: Joan lets Lou in to see Reb in solitary to exact revenge for the attack on Joyce.

Modifies a noun

  • killing: The villagers kept their children away from him, so it looks as if this a revenge killing.
revenge usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

revenge quotes

Richard Nixon self-impeached†[and] gave us General Ford as his revenge.

-Abzug, Bella originally Bella Savitzky

There is no passion in the mind of man so weak, but it mates and mastersthefearofdeath. And therefore death is no such terrible enemy, when a man hath so many attendants about him that can win the combat of him. Revenge triumphs over death; love slights it; honour aspireth to it; grief flieth to it.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

revenge quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"revenge." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/revenge>

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revenge. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/revenge

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