meaning of retaliate
1. To return the like for; to repay or requite by an act of the same kind; to return evil for (evil). [Now seldom used except in a bad sense. ]
2. To return like for like; specifically, to return evil for evil; as, to retaliate upon an enemy.
3. 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"
Related Words
retaliate | retaliated |
