retaliate
- retaliate
v
1. return like for like, give tit for tat, give a blow for a blow, give a Roland for an-Oliver, take an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, give measure for measure or pound for pound; give [s.o.] a dose or taste of his own medicine, pay [s.o.] back in his own coin, pay back in kind, repay, pay back, return the compliment or favor, reciprocate, give as good as one gets, do unto others as they do unto you.
2. make reprisal, requite, avenge, revenge, take revenge, wreak revenge, inflict punishment, exact payment, exact one's pound of flesh; hit back at, strike back at, get back or get back at, get even with, Inf. pay off an old score, Inf. settle a score, Inf. wipe out an old score; give [s.o.] his just deserts, U.S. Dial. give [s.o.] his comeuppance, Inf. give [s.o.] what he has coming to him.
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Retaliate — Re*tal i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Retaliated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Retaliating}.] [L. retaliatus, p. p. of retaliare to retaliate; pref. re re + a word akin to talio talion, retaliation. Cf. {Talion}.] To return the like for; to repay or requite by … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
retaliate — re·tal·i·ate /ri ta lē ˌāt/ vi at·ed, at·ing: to act in revenge re·tal·i·a·tion / ˌta lē ā shən/ n re·tal·i·a·tive / ta lē ˌā tiv/ adj re·tal·ia·to·ry / tal yə ˌtōr ē/ adj … Law dictionary
Retaliate — Re*tal i*ate, v. i. To return like for like; specifically, to return evil for evil; as, to retaliate upon an enemy. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
retaliate — [ri tal′ē āt΄] vi. retaliated, retaliating [< LL retaliatus, pp. of retaliare, to require, retaliate < L re , back + talio, punishment in kind, akin to Welsh tāl, compensation] to return like for like; esp., to return evil for evil; pay… … English World dictionary
retaliate — (v.) 1610s, from pp. stem of L. retaliare (see RETALIATION (Cf. retaliation)). Related: Retaliated; retaliating … Etymology dictionary
retaliate — *reciprocate, requite, return Analogous words: revenge, *avenge: repay, recompense, compensate (see PAY) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
retaliate — [v] get even with someone even the score*, exact retribution, get, get back at, give and take*, make reprisal, pay, pay back, reciprocate, recompense, repay, requite, retrospect, return, return the compliment, revenge, revive, settle, square… … New thesaurus
retaliate — ► VERB ▪ make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack. DERIVATIVES retaliation noun retaliative adjective retaliator noun retaliatory adjective. ORIGIN Latin retaliare return in kind … English terms dictionary
retaliate — UK [rɪˈtælɪeɪt] / US [rɪˈtælˌɪeɪt] verb [intransitive] Word forms retaliate : present tense I/you/we/they retaliate he/she/it retaliates present participle retaliating past tense retaliated past participle retaliated to do something harmful or… … English dictionary
retaliate — re|tal|i|ate [ rı tæl,ieıt ] verb intransitive to do something harmful or unpleasant to someone because they have done something harmful or unpleasant to you: retaliate with: Militant students hurled firebombs and riot police retaliated with tear … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
retaliate — v. (D; intr.) to retaliate against; for (to retaliate against the enemy for shelling civilian targets) * * * [rɪ tælɪeɪt] for (to retaliate against the enemy for shelling civilian targets) (D; intr.) to retaliate against … Combinatory dictionary
