REVENGE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does revenge mean? 

• REVENGE (noun)
  The noun REVENGE has 1 sense:

1. action taken in return for an injury or offense

  Familiarity information: REVENGE used as a noun is very rare.

• REVENGE (verb)
  The verb REVENGE has 1 sense:

1. take revenge for a perceived wrong

  Familiarity information: REVENGE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REVENGE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Action taken in return for an injury or offense

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

retaliation; revenge

Hypernyms ("revenge" is a kind of...):

getting even; paying back; return (a reciprocal group action)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "revenge"):

payback; retribution; vengeance (the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life)

reprisal (a retaliatory action against an enemy in wartime)

Derivation:

revenge (take revenge for a perceived wrong)

• REVENGE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they revenge    ... he / she / it revenges   
Past simple: revenged   
Past participle: revenged   
-ing form: revenging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take revenge for a perceived wrong

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

avenge; retaliate; revenge

Context example:

He wants to avenge the murder of his brother

Hypernyms (to "revenge" is one way to...):

penalise; penalize; punish (impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "revenge"):

get back; get even (take revenge or even out a score)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

revenge (action taken in return for an injury or offense)

 Context examples 

Even my wish for revenge would not make me do that.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He knew that his own game was up, and was only anxious to revenge himself upon me.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"We know that people often don't want to admit that they have hurt feelings, so in some of the studies, we looked at how much people wanted to seek revenge," explains Dr. Freedman.

(Sometimes You Shouldn't Say Sorry, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

My soul cried out for revenge.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Was it that I wanted, now so late, revenge for that time when you saved my life, and from a fearful death?

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Now, as she had not been asked to the feast she was very angry, and scolded the king and queen very much, and set to work to take her revenge.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Doubtless it was so, and she could take no revenge, for he was not altered, or not for the worse.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

"Perhaps, Miss Marianne," cried Lucy, eager to take some revenge on her, "you think young men never stand upon engagements, if they have no mind to keep them, little as well as great."

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)