requital
Americannoun
-
the act of requiting.
-
a return or reward for service, kindness, etc.
-
a retaliation for a wrong, injury, etc.
-
something given or done as repayment, reward, punishment, etc., in return.
noun
-
the act or an instance of requiting
-
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
And then, pray that the veil of oblivion may be thrown over the fiendish requital which, in after years, succeeded this hospitable reception.
From Rambles by Land and Water or Notes of Travel in Cuba and Mexico by Norman, B. M.
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
Thou hast remembered thine oath unto me, my King; thou hast published thyself as ready to fulfil thy promise, and hast yielded unto me the choice of the manner of my requital!
From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Miller, Elizabeth
Maria then began to consider what adequate requital she could possibly make me.
From Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 Volume I. - Proceedings of the First Expedition, 1826-1830 by Fitzroy, Robert
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.
