avenge

Etymology

From Middle English avengen, borrowed from Old French avengier, from a- (“upon”) + vengier, from Latin vindicō, vindicāre.

verb

  1. (transitive) To take vengeance (for); to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.
    to avenge the murder of his brother
    Father, today I will avenge your death. 1984, 2:01:42 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Paul Atreides, →OCLC
  2. (reflexive) To revenge oneself (on or upon someone).
  3. (intransitive, obsolete) To take vengeance.
  4. (transitive, archaic) To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on.
    thy judgment in avenging thine enemies 1609, Bishop Hall, Some few of David's Psalmes Metaphrased

noun

  1. (archaic) An act of vengeance; a revenge.

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