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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

a·venge

Audio Help [uh-venj] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), a·venged, a·veng·ing.

1.	to take vengeance or exact satisfaction for: to avenge a grave insult.

2.	to take vengeance on behalf of: He avenged his brother.

[Origin: 1325–75; ME avengen < OF avengier, equiv. to a- a-⁵ + vengier < L vindicāre; see vindicate

]

—Related forms

a·venge·ful, adjective

a·veng·er, noun

a·veng·ing·ly, adverb

—Synonyms vindicate. Avenge, revenge both imply to inflict pain or harm in return for pain or harm inflicted on oneself or those persons or causes to which one feels loyalty. The two words were formerly interchangeable, but have been differentiated until they now convey widely diverse ideas. Avenge is now restricted to inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice or as a vindication of propriety: to avenge a murder by bringing the criminal to trial. Revenge implies inflicting pain or harm to retaliate for real or fancied wrongs; a reflexive pronoun is often used with this verb: Iago wished to revenge himself upon Othello.

—Antonyms 1. forgive.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Avenging

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

a·venge Audio Help (ə-věnj') Pronunciation Key
tr.v. a·venged, a·veng·ing, a·veng·es

To inflict a punishment or penalty in return for; revenge: avenge a murder.
To take vengeance on behalf of: avenged their wronged parents.

[Middle English avengen, from Old French avengier : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + vengier, to vindicate (from Latin vindicāre, to claim; see vindicate).]

a·veng'er n., a·veng'ing·ly adv.

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