revenge

(rĭ-vĕnj')
tr.v., -venged, -veng·ing, -veng·es.

1. To inflict punishment in return for (injury or insult).
2. To seek or take vengeance for (oneself or another person); avenge.

n.

1. The act of taking vengeance for injuries or wrongs; retaliation.
2. Something done in vengeance; a retaliatory measure.
3. A desire for revenge; spite or vindictiveness.
4. An opportunity to retaliate, as by a return sports match after a defeat.

[Middle English revengen, from Old French revengier : re-, re- + vengier, to take revenge (from Latin vindicāre, to avenge , from vindex, vindic-, avenger).]

revenger re·veng'er n.

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noun

1. The act of retaliating: counteraction, counterattack, counterblow, reciprocation, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, tit for tat, vengeance. Idioms: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, like for like, measure for measure. See attack/defend, forgiveness/vindictiveness.
2. The quality or condition of being vindictive: spite, spitefulness, vengefulness, vindictiveness. See forgiveness/vindictiveness.

n

Definition: retaliation for wrong, grievance
Antonyms: forgiveness, pardon, sympathy

v

Definition: retaliate for wrong, grievance
Antonyms: forgive, pardon, sympathize

The desire for revenge is often thought of as ‘primitive’ but less negative verdicts are also possible. Evolutionary psychology tends to be more hospitable to the notion, seeing it as an emotional underpinning of strategies like tit-for-tat, themselves flexible and adapted to a wide variety of social interactions. See also Erinyes, justice.

IN BRIEF: n. - Action taken in return for an injury or offense.

In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior. — Francis Bacon

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Quotes:

"You cannot go ahead while you are getting even." - Dick Armey

"A man who contemplates revenge keeps his wounds green." - Francis Bacon

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

"Something of vengeance I had tasted for the first time; as aromatic wine it seemed, on swallowing, warm and racy: its after-flavor, metallic and corroding, gave me a sensation as if I had been poisoned." - Charlotte Bronte

"Some people would rather get even instead of get ahead." - Les Brown

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." - Confucius

See more famous quotes about Revenge

For a list of words related to revenge, see:

• Strategy and Tactics - revenge: (vb) inflict injury in return for

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See words rhyming with "revenger."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Revenge.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - hævn, revanche
v. tr. - hævne, få revanche

idioms:

• revenge oneself    hævne sig

Nederlands (Dutch)
wreken, wraak, wraakneming

Français (French)
n. - vengeance, revanche
v. tr. - se venger

idioms:

• revenge oneself    se venger

Deutsch (German)
n. - Rache, Revanche
v. - rächen

idioms:

• revenge oneself    sich rächen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (αντ)εκδίκηση
v. - (αντ)εκδικούμαι, παίρνω το αίμα μου πίσω

idioms:

• revenge oneself    παίρνω εκδίκηση

Italiano (Italian)
vendicare, vendetta

idioms:

• revenge oneself    vendicarsi

Português (Portuguese)
n. - vingança (f)
v. - vingar

idioms:

• revenge oneself    vingar-se

Русский (Russian)
мстить, месть

idioms:

• revenge oneself    отомстить

Español (Spanish)
n. - venganza, desquite
v. tr. - vengar

idioms:

• revenge oneself    vengarse, desquitarse

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - hämnd
v. - hämnas

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
报仇, 报复, 复仇, 替...报仇

idioms:

• revenge oneself    报仇, 报复

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 報仇, 報復, 復仇
v. tr. - 替...報仇, 復仇

idioms:

• revenge oneself    報仇, 報復

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 복수, 복수심, 복수의 기회
v. tr. - 복수하다, 원수를 갚다, 원한을 풀다

idioms:

• revenge oneself    복수하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 復讐する, 仇を討つ
n. - 復讐, 復讐心, 雪辱の機会, 遺恨

idioms:

• revenge oneself    復讐する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) إنتقام, ثأر (فعل) ينتقم, يثأر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮נקם, נקמה, נקמנות‬
v. tr. - ‮נקם, התנקם‬

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