Retaliate
Origin
From Latin retaliatus, past participle of retaliare ("to requite, retaliate"), from re ("back, again") + talis ("such").
Full definition of 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.John insulted Peter to retaliate for Peter's acid remark earlier.
- (transitive) To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
- Sir T. HerbertOne ambassador sent word to the duke's son that his visit should be retaliated.
- Jonathan SwiftIt 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.