In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
RETALIATE
retaliate, strike back
(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”
revenge, avenge, retaliate
(verb) take revenge for a perceived wrong; “He wants to avenge the murder of his brother”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
retaliate (third-person singular simple present retaliates, present participle retaliating, simple past and past participle retaliated)
(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.
(transitive) To repay or requite by an act of the same kind.
Synonyms
• See also avenge
Anagrams
• aliterate
Source: Wiktionary
Re*tal"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retaliated; p. pr. & vb. n. Retaliating.] Etym: [L. retaliatus, p. p. of retaliare to retaliate; pref. re- re- + a word akin to talio talion, retaliation. Cf. Talion.]
Definition: 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.] One ambassador sent word to the duke's son that his visit should be retaliated. Sir T. Herbert. It 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. Swift.
Re*tal"i*ate, v. i.
Definition: To return like for like; specifically, to return evil for evil; as, to retaliate upon an enemy.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
4 April 2025
GUILLOTINE
(verb) kill by cutting the head off with a guillotine; “The French guillotined many Vietnamese while they occupied the country”
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