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Webster 1913 Edition

Retaliate

Re-tal′i-ate

,
Verb.
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 an act of the same kind; to return evil for (evil). [Now seldom used except in a bad sense.]
One ambassador sent word to the duke’s son that his visit should be
retaliated
.
Sir T. Herbert.
It is unlucky to be obliged to
retaliate
the injuries of authors, whose works are so soon forgotten that we are in danger of appearing the first aggressors.
Swift.

Re-tal′i-ate

,
Verb.
I.
To return like for like; specifically, to return evil for evil;
as, to
retaliate
upon an enemy
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Retaliate

RETAL'IATE

,
Verb.
T.
[Low L. retalio; re and talio, from talis, like.]
To return like for like; to repay or requite by an act of the same kind as has been received. It is now seldom used except in a bad sense, that is, to return evil for evil; as, to retaliate injuries. In war, enemies often retaliate the death or inhuman treatment of prisoners, the burning of towns or the plunder of goods.
It is unlucky to be obliged to retaliate the injuries of authors, whose works are so soon forgotten that we are in danger of appearing the first aggressors.

RETAL'IATE

,
Verb.
I.
To return like for like; as, to retaliate upon an enemy.

Definition 2024

retaliate

retaliate

English

Verb

retaliate ‎(third-person singular simple present retaliates, present participle retaliating, simple past and past participle retaliated)

  1. (intransitive) To do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; to fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront.
    John insulted Peter to retaliate for Peter's acid remark earlier.
  2. (transitive) To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
    • Sir T. Herbert
      One ambassador sent word to the duke's son that his visit should be retaliated.
    • Jonathan Swift
      It is unlucky to be obliged to retaliate the injuries of authors, whose works are so soon forgotten that we are in danger of appearing the first aggressors.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:avenge

Derived terms

Translations

External links

  • retaliate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • retaliate in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

References

  1. ↑ Le Trésor de la Langue Française informatisé
  2. ↑ Oxford-Paravia Concise - Dizionario Inglese-Italiano e Italiano-Inglese. Edited by Maria Cristina Bareggi. Torino: Paravia, 2003 (in collaboration with Oxford University Press). ISBN 8839551107. Online version here

Anagrams

Etymology

From Latin retaliatus, past participle of retaliare ‎(“to requite, retaliate”), from re ‎(“back, again”) + talis ‎(“such”).

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