Associations to the word «Retaliate»

Wiktionary

RETALIATE, verb. (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.
RETALIATE, verb. (transitive) To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.

Dictionary definition

RETALIATE, verb. Take revenge for a perceived wrong; "He wants to avenge the murder of his brother".
RETALIATE, verb. Make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil; "The Empire strikes back"; "The Giants struck back and won the opener"; "The Israeli army retaliated for the Hamas bombing".

Wise words

A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used.
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.