action that is taken in order to punish someone who has harmed or offended you► revenge · The motive for the murder was clearly revenge.seek revenge · Members of the party are seeking revenge for the assassination of their leader.revenge attack/killing/bombing · Fearing revenge attacks, the government has sealed off the borders.
► reprisal an action, especially a military or political one, that is a reaction to something that has been done by a country, government, organization etc: · Some people will not report attacks to the police for fear of reprisals.· Demonstrators surged through the capital city yesterday, ignoring threats of reprisals from the government.reprisal for: · His murder was a reprisal for an injury to a rival gang member.
► vengeance revenge, especially in the form of violent actions or behaviour, for something very harmful or violent that someone has done: · Her desire for vengeance led her to shoot her daughter's murderer.· Nothing can justify the gunmens' senseless acts of vengeance.
► vendetta a quarrel between two people or groups of people that has continued for a long time and during which the two sides keep trying to get revenge on each other: · The killing was the result of a long-standing vendetta over gambling profits.vendetta between: · The recent bombings may be a sign of a renewed vendetta between rival separatists.vendetta against: · One of the gang members began a vendetta against her after she testified.family/tribal/private/personal vendetta: · Ellis claims he is the victim of a conspiracy with a personal vendetta against him.
► tit for tat something unpleasant done because someone has done something unpleasant to you: · I didn't invite her to my party because she didn't invite me to hers. It was just tit for tat.tit-for-tat killings/bombings/raids etc: · Eight people have died in this latest round of tit-for-tat killings.
informal something bad that you do to someone because they have done something bad to you