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retaliate

 - 3 dictionary results

re⋅tal⋅i⋅ate

  [ri-tal-ee-eyt] verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing.
Use retaliate in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to return like for like, esp. evil for evil: to retaliate for an injury.
–verb (used with object)
2. to requite or make return for (a wrong or injury) with the like.
Origin:
1605–15; < LL retāliātus (ptp. of retāliāre), equiv. to re- re- + tāli(s) such, of such a nature + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
re⋅tal⋅i⋅a⋅tive, re⋅tal⋅i⋅a⋅to⋅ry  [ri-tal-ee-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective
re⋅tal⋅i⋅a⋅tor, noun

Synonyms:
1. counter, repay, reciprocate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To retaliate
re·tal·i·ate   (rĭ-tāl'ē-āt')   
v.   re·tal·i·at·ed, re·tal·i·at·ing, re·tal·i·ates

v.   intr.
To return like for like, especially evil for evil.
v.   tr.
To pay back (an injury) in kind.

[Late Latin retāliāre, retāliāt- : Latin re-, re- + Latin tāliō, punishment in kind; see telə- in Indo-European roots.]
re·tal'i·a'tion n., re·tal'i·a'tive, re·tal'i·a·to'ry (-ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj., re·tal'i·a'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: re·tal·i·ate
Pronunciation: ri-'ta-lE-"At
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Forms: -at·ed; -at·ing
: to act in revenge —re·tal·i·a·tion /-"ta-lE-'A-sh&n/ noun —re·tal·i·a·tive /-'ta-lE-"A-tiv/ adjective —re·tal·ia·to·ry /-'tal-y&-"tOr-E/ adjective
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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