retaliate

From Latin retaliātus, past participle of retaliō (“to requite, retaliate”), from re- (“back, again”) + talis (“such”).

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈtæl.i.eɪt/

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retaliate (third-person singular simple present retaliates, present participle retaliating, simple past and past participle retaliated)

1. (intransitive) To do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; to fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront.

   John insulted Peter to retaliate for Peter's acid remark earlier.

   Many companies have policies in place to prevent bosses from retaliating against allegations of harassment.

2. (transitive) To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
   • 1634, T[homas] H[erbert], A Relation of Some Yeares Travaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, OCLC 869931719:

     One ambassador sent word to the duke's son that his visit should be retaliated.

   • 1713-174, Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope, Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus Preface

     It is unlucky to be obliged to retaliate the injuries of authors, whose works are so soon forgotten that we are in danger of appearing the first aggressors.

• See also Thesaurus:avenge

• retaliation
• retaliative
• retaliatory

• retaliate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• retaliate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911

• aliterate