retaliate

American  

[ri-tal-ee-eyt] / rɪˈtæl iˌeɪt /

verb (used without object)

retaliated, retaliating

1. to return like for like, especially evil for evil.

   to retaliate for an injury.

   Synonyms:

   reciprocate, repay, counter

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verb (used with object)

retaliated, retaliating

1. to requite or make return for (a wrong or injury) with the like.

retaliate British  

/ rɪˈtælɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to take retributory action, esp by returning some injury or wrong in kind

2. (intr) to cast (accustations) back upon a person

3. rare (tr) to avenge (an injury, wrong, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• retaliation
  noun
• retaliative
  adjective
• retaliator
  noun
• retaliatory
  adjective
• unretaliated
  adjective
• unretaliating
  adjective
• unretaliative
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of retaliate

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin retāliātus (past participle of retāliāre ), equivalent to re- re- + tāli(s) “such, of such a nature” + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

To retaliate means to get back at someone, usually through a counterattack. “Ned got hit with a cream pie, then he retaliated by throwing a bucket of Jell-O at his attackers.” When you see the prefix re in a word, it usually means back. To return, remember, regurgitate (yuck) — all of these verbs relate to doing something back. At the beginning of retaliate it means back, and the taliate means to pay, so what you’re talking about here is payback. If you’re doing something terrible to someone just because you want to, that’s doesn’t mean to retaliate. But, if you feel they’ve done something bad to you, and you’re just getting them back? That’s when you retaliate.

Example Sentences

Retaliate, rē-tal′i-āt, v.t. to return like for like: to repay.—v.i. to return like for like.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

I can, it seems, Retaliate quickly on my rigid judge And what I have deferred so long to tell, Your majesty, perhaps, would willingly Longer defer to hear.

From Don Carlos by Schiller, Friedrich

"Retaliate, then," said he, "this fancied wrong by doing likewise."

From The Coquette The History of Eliza Wharton by Foster, Hannah Webster

Retaliate, if you wish, if you can; but you will not, you cannot.

From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Schwartau, Winn

Related Words

• reciprocate