Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To inflict a punishment or penalty in return for; revenge.
  • transitive verb To take vengeance on behalf of.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Revenge; retaliation.
  • noun Punishment; vengeance taken.
  • To vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on the wrong-doer; execute justice or vengeance on behalf of: with a person as object.
  • To take satisfaction for, by pain or punishment inflicted on the injuring party; deal punishment on account of: with a thing as object.
  • To take revenge on; treat or deal with revengefully.
  • Synonyms Avenge, Revenge. Until lately these words were used with little or no difference of meaning (see quotations under each). Avenge is now restricted to the taking of just punishment or the vindication of justice, and revenge to the infliction of pain or evil to gratify resentful feelings, or the desire of retaliation for some real or fancied wrong. Poetic use sometimes returns to the earlier freedom in the meaning of avenge. see revenge, n.
  • To execute vengeance; inflict retaliatory pain or injury on a wrong-doer.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • intransitive verb To take vengeance.
  • noun obsolete Vengeance; revenge.
  • transitive verb To take vengeance for; to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.
  • transitive verb obsolete To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A vengeance; a revenge.
  • verb To take vengeance (for); to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.
  • verb nonstandard To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb take revenge for a perceived wrong

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English avengen, from Old French avengier : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad–) + vengier, to vindicate (from Latin vindicāre, to claim; see vindicate).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French avengier, from a- ("upon") + vengier, from Latin vindicare.

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Examples

  • The Lord uses words without anxiety as to the misuse of them by such as do not search after his will in them; and the word avenge may be simply retained from the parable without its special meaning therein; yet it suggests a remark or two.

    Unspoken Sermons Second Series 1824-1905 1885

  • LUI: You know, Chris, the statement you were bringing up in your report, the official using the word "avenge" -- we don't commonly see that in a statement coming from a government agency or from an official.

    CNN Transcript Jan 1, 2010 2010

  • “Only a burning desire to clear my name and avenge my mentor.”

    The Brush Off Laura Bradley 2004

  • “Only a burning desire to clear my name and avenge my mentor.”

    The Brush Off Laura Bradley 2004

  • “Only a burning desire to clear my name and avenge my mentor.”

    The Brush Off Laura Bradley 2004

  • “Only a burning desire to clear my name and avenge my mentor.”

    The Brush Off Laura Bradley 2004

  • The Taliban has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, saying they were carried out to "avenge" the NATO airstrike and CIA drone missiles in Pakistan's lawless tribal region.

    Pakistan reopens border to NATO supply trucks Karin Brulliard 2010

  • Public anger is simmering over the air incursions and an dramatic escalation of CIA drone strikes against militants in Pakistan's tribal areas, and a Taliban spokesman vowed that it would "avenge" those attacks with more strikes on "foreign forces" in Pakistan, Reuters reported.

    Militants set NATO fuel tankers ablaze in Pakistan, killing 3 as key border pass remains closed Karin Brulliard 2010

  • The Taliban has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, saying they were carried out to "avenge" the NATO airstrike and CIA drone missiles in Pakistan's lawless tribal region.

    Pakistan reopens border to NATO supply trucks Karin Brulliard 2010

  • ` ` It's the first time out this year, trying to kind of avenge a loss at the Fiesta Bowl last year, so there was a lot of preparation put in to come out and play well, '' said Bradford, referring to a 48-28 loss to West Virginia this January.

    USATODAY.com 2008

Comments

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  • c1375 WYCLIF Antecrist 126 Crist was suffryng & foryghaue, & thei wolen be awengid

    April 21, 2008

  • I like awengid better, sounds less like a car engine.

    April 21, 2008