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Webster 1913 Edition

Retribute

Re-trib′ute

,
Verb.
T.
[L.
retributus
, p. p. of
retribuere
to retribute; pref
re-
+
tribuere
to bestow, assign, pay. See
Tribute
.]
To pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite;
as, to
retribute
one for his kindness; to
retribute
just punishment to a criminal
.
[Obs. or R.]
Locke.

Webster 1828 Edition

Retribute

RETRIB'UTE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. retribuo; re and tribuo, to give or bestow.]
To pay back; to make payment, compensation or reward in return; as, to retribute one for his kindness; to retribute to a criminal what is proportionate to his offense.

Definition 2025

retribute

retribute

English

Verb

retribute ‎(third-person singular simple present retributes, present participle retributing, simple past and past participle retributed)

  1. To pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite.
    to retribute one for his kindness
    to retribute just punishment to a criminal
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Locke to this entry?)

Translations

Latin

Participle

retribūte

  1. vocative masculine singular of retribūtus

Etymology

Latin retributus, past participle of retribuo ‎(“I retribute”); prefix re- + tribuo ‎(“I bestow, assign, pay”). See tribute.

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