requital
Americannoun
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the act of requiting.
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a return or reward for service, kindness, etc.
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a retaliation for a wrong, injury, etc.
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something given or done as repayment, reward, punishment, etc., in return.
noun
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the act or an instance of requiting
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a return or compensation for a good or bad action
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of requital
Explanation
When you pay someone back or return their favor, that's requital. Your friend might insist that no requital is necessary for the cookies she gives you, but you may want to bake cupcakes for her tomorrow anyway. Use requital for the sincere return of a favor, like going to your brother's band concert after he's dutifully attended your poetry reading. You can also use it for retribution for a wrong that's been done: "As requital for the Silly String attack, she put a whoopie cushion on her classmate's chair." Requital comes from requite, which is based in the Middle English root quite, "clear or pay up."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This nonsense gradually infected everything and the consequence was an underestimate which subsequently bought the bitterest requital.
From Time Magazine Archive
Mr. Prynn sent His Clients to Mr. Case for Religion; and Mr. Case, in requital, sent His to Mr. Pryn for Law; which kept up a concord among the Well-affected.
From Citt and Bumpkin (1680) by L'Estrange, Sir Roger
"Do ye in all truth follow the doctrine that bids you suffer without requital?" he demanded, even while feeling that his logic was impotent.
From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Miller, Elizabeth
He was a watchful assistant of those who contributed to the public service without expecting or receiving requital.
From Bygones Worth Remembering, Vol. 1 (of 2) by Holyoake, George Jacob
Therefore Kant's theory of punishment as mere requital for requital's sake is a completely groundless and perverse view.
From The World As Will And Idea (Vol. 1 of 3) by Schopenhauer, Arthur
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
