English Explanatory Dictionary

revenge

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any form of personal, retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some alleged or perceived harm or injustice.
  2. A win by a previous loser.
verb
  1. To take revenge for (a particular harmful action) or on behalf of (its victim); to avenge.
  2. To take one's revenge (on or upon someone).
  3. To take vengeance; to revenge itself.

Pronunciation

/ɹəˈvɛnd͡ʒ/ /ɹɪˈvɛnd͡ʒ/ /ɹiˈvɛnd͡ʒ/ en-us-revenge.ogg /ɹəˈvendʒ/

Word forms

revenge revenges revenging revenged

Etymology

From Middle French revenge, a derivation from revenger, from Old French revengier (possibly influenced by Old Occitan revènge (“revenge, comeback”), from Old Occitan revenir (“to come back”)), a variant of Middle French revancher (whence deverbal French revanche), from Old French revenchier. The variants Old French vengier (whence French venger) and Old French venchier are both descended from Latin vindicō, with stress-conditioned different parallel development in the inflectional forms. Doublet of revanche. Compare avenge and vengeance.

Synonyms

avenge payback reprisal requital retaliation retribution revanche revenge vengeance wrack wreak

Related words

forgiveness vendetta avenge venge vengeance get one's own back get back at somebody retaliate revanche

Derived words

Montezuma's revenge nonrevenge Pharaoh's revenge prevenge revengeance revenge buying revenge drama revengeful revenge is a dish best served cold revenge is sweet revengeless revenge porn revenge quitting revenge shopping revenge spending revenge tragedy revenge travel revengism revengeable revengement revenger revengingly unrevenged unrevenging
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