Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense revenges, present participle revenging, past tense, past participle revenged
1. uncountable noun
Revenge involves hurting or punishing someone who has hurt or harmed you.
The prisoners took revenge on their captors, eventually overcoming them. [+ on/against]
The killings were said to have been in revenge for the murder of her lover.
[Also + for]
Synonyms: retaliation, satisfaction, vengeance, reprisal More Synonyms of revenge
2. verb
If you revenge yourself on someone who has hurt you, you hurt them in return.
[written]
The Sunday Mercury accused her of trying to revenge herself on her former lover. [V pron-refl + on]
...the relatives of murdered villagers wanting to revenge the dead. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: avenge, repay, vindicate, pay (someone) back More Synonyms of revenge
revenge in British English
(rɪˈvɛndʒ)
noun
1.
the act of retaliating for wrongs or injury received; vengeance
2.
something done as a means of vengeance
3.
the desire to take vengeance or retaliate
4.
a return match, regarded as a loser's opportunity to even the score
verb(transitive)
5.
to inflict equivalent injury or damage for (injury received); retaliate in return for
6.
to take vengeance for (oneself or another); avenge
Derived forms
revengeless (reˈvengeless)
adjective
revenger (reˈvenger)
noun
revenging (reˈvenging)
adjective
revengingly (reˈvengingly)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Old French revenger, from Late Latin revindicāre, from re- + vindicāre to vindicate
revenge in American English
(rɪˈvɛndʒ)
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈvenged or reˈvenging
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
verb intransitive
3. Obsolete
to take vengeance
noun
4.
the act of revenging; vengeance
5.
what is done in revenging
6.
desire to take vengeance; vindictive spirit
7.
a chance to retaliate or get satisfaction, as by a return match after a defeat
SIMILAR WORDS: aˈvenge
Idioms:
be revenged
Derived forms
revenger (reˈvenger)
noun
revengingly (reˈvengingly)
adverb
Word origin
ME revengen < OFr revenger < re-, again + vengier, to take vengeance < L vindicare: see vindicate
Examples of 'revenge' in a sentence
revenge
I wanted to understand the psychology, you know, of repression, correction, call it what you will -- societal revenge.
Kippax, Frank THE SCAR (2002)
Something in me snapped when I heard Kamal had been arrested and I wanted to take revenge for what he had taken from me.
Val McDermid THE LAST TEMPTATION (2002)
He is out there somewhere, lurking in the shadows of the underworld and, I do not doubt, burning for revenge.
Elizabeth Peters LION IN THE VALLEY (2002)
Quotations
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a toothBible: Exodus
Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it outFrancis BaconEssays
Revenge is a dish best served cold
Don't get mad, get even
Revenge is sweet
In other languages
revenge
British English: revenge /rɪˈvɛndʒ/ NOUN
Revenge involves hurting someone who has hurt you.
...acts of revenge.
American English: revenge
Arabic: اِنْتِقَام
Brazilian Portuguese: vingança
Chinese: 复仇
Croatian: osveta
Czech: pomsta
Danish: hævn
Dutch: wraak
European Spanish: venganza
Finnish: kosto
French: vengeance
German: Rache
Greek: εκδίκηση
Italian: vendetta
Japanese: 復讐
Korean: 복수
Norwegian: hevn
Polish: zemsta
European Portuguese: vingança
Romanian: răzbunare
Russian: месть
Latin American Spanish: venganza
Swedish: hämnd
Thai: การแก้เแค้น
Turkish: intikam
Ukrainian: помста
Vietnamese: sự trả thù
British English: revenge VERB
If you revenge yourself on someone who has hurt you, you hurt them in return.
The paper accused her of trying to revenge herself on her former lover.
American English: revenge
Brazilian Portuguese: vingar
Chinese: 报复
European Spanish: vengarse
French: venger
German: rächen
Italian: vendicare
Japanese: 報復する
Korean: 보복하다
European Portuguese: vingar
Latin American Spanish: vengarse
Chinese translation of 'revenge'
revenge
(rɪˈvɛndʒ)
n(u)
复(復)仇 (fùchóu)
vt
[defeat, injustice]报(報)复(復) (bàofù)
to get one's revenge (for sth)(为(為)某事)进(進)行报(報)复(復) ((wèi mǒushì) jìnxíng bàofù)
to take (one's) revenge (on sb)(对(對)某人)进(進)行报(報)复(復) ((duì mǒurén) jìnxíng bàofù)
to revenge o.s. (on sb)(向某人)进(進)行报(報)复(復) ((xiàng mǒurén) jìnxíng bàofù)
All related terms of 'revenge'
an urge for revenge
复(復)仇的强(強)烈欲(慾)望 fùchóu de qiángliè yùwàng
to get one's revenge (for sth)
(为(為)某事)进(進)行报(報)复(復) (wèi mǒushì) jìnxíng bàofù
lust for money/power/revenge
金钱(錢)/权(權)力/复(復)仇欲(慾) jīnqiān/quánlì/fùchóu yù
to take (one's) revenge (on sb)
(对(對)某人)进(進)行报(報)复(復) (duì mǒurén) jìnxíng bàofù
to revenge o.s. (on sb)
(向某人)进(進)行报(報)复(復) (xiàng mǒurén) jìnxíng bàofù
(noun)
Definition
vengeance for wrongs or injury received
in revenge for his betrayal
Synonyms
retaliation
They believe the attack was in retaliation for his death.
satisfaction
Buyers have the right to go to court and demand satisfaction.
vengeance
She wanted vengeance for the humiliation she had experienced.
reprisal
fear of reprisal or ostracism
retribution
He decided to get his retribution in first.
vindictiveness
an eye for an eye
Their philosophy was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
requital
(verb)
Definition
to inflict equivalent injury or damage for (injury received)
The relatives wanted to revenge his mockery of them.
Synonyms
avenge
He spent five years avenging his daughter's death.
repay
vindicate
pay (someone) back
take revenge for
requite
even the score for
get your own back for (informal)
make reprisal for
take an eye for an eye for
hit back
retaliate
get even
Quotations
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth [Bible: Exodus]Revenge is a kind of wild justice, which the more man's nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out [Francis Bacon – Essays]
proverbs
Revenge is a dish best served coldDon't get mad, get evenRevenge is sweet
Additional synonyms
in the sense of an eye for an eye
Their philosophy was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Synonyms
retaliation,
justice,
revenge,
vengeance,
reprisal,
retribution,
requital,
lex talionis
in the sense of repay
Definition
to make a return for (something)
Synonyms
reciprocate,
revenge,
hit back,
retaliate,
avenge,
get back at,
return the compliment,
get even with (informal),
get your own back on (informal),
make reprisal,
even or settle the score with,
pay (someone) back in their own coin
in the sense of reprisal
Definition
an act of taking revenge
fear of reprisal or ostracism
Synonyms
retaliation,
revenge,
vengeance,
retribution,
an eye for an eye,
counterstroke,
requital
Synonyms of 'revenge'
revenge
Explore 'revenge' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of retribution
Definition
punishment or vengeance for evil deeds
He decided to get his retribution in first.
Synonyms
punishment,
retaliation,
reprisal,
redress,
justice,
reward,
reckoning,
compensation,
satisfaction,
revenge,
repayment,
vengeance,
Nemesis,
recompense,
an eye for an eye,
requital
in the sense of satisfaction
Definition
compensation or an apology for a wrong done
Buyers have the right to go to court and demand satisfaction.
Synonyms
compensation,
damages,
justice,
amends,
settlement,
redress,
remuneration,
reparation,
vindication,
restitution,
reimbursement,
atonement,
recompense,
indemnification,
requital
in the sense of vengeance
Definition
the act of killing, injuring, or harming someone for revenge
She wanted vengeance for the humiliation she had experienced.