Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- To restore; pay back; return; give in requital.
- To make compensation or requital. as for some past action, whether good or bad.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb Obs. or R. To pay back; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; to requite.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To
pay back ; to give in return, as payment, reward, or punishment; torequite .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Bomb Iran and they with their low grade material will have enough for dirty bombs to retribute, and they will.
Firedoglake » Of Last Throes, Enrichment and Mickey Mouse Watches 2006
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God, I say, is the only judge in this case, who will retribute unto every one at the last day according to his deserts; that is, according to his sincerity and uprightness in endeavouring to promote piety, and the public weal, and peace of mankind.
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And this is almost all wherein an humble Creature may endeavour to requite and some way to retribute [22] unto his Creator: for if not he that saith,
Religio Medici 1605-1682 1923
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S: And (as for) those who disbelieve, for them is the fire of hell; it shall not be finished with them entirely so that they should die, nor shall the chastisement thereof be lightened to them: even thus do We retribute every ungrateful one.
Three Translations of The Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side Abdullah Yusuf Ali 1902
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Does not by forgiveness disturb the retribute order of causes, 359.
The Vicarious Sacrifice, Grounded in Principles of Universal Obligation. 1802-1876 1871
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The good news is that Americans have historically pointed the world how to overcome all the kinds of adversity, and maybe this time around we can retribute the favor.
Forbes.com: News Anderson Antunes 2011
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If you take it on the scale of the common law, or of national law -- you may oppose damages to debts -- retain the debts, to retribute and compensate for the injuries they have done you.
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And he that appeals to Heaven must be sure he has right on his side, and a right, too, that is worth the trouble and cost of the appeal, as he will answer at a tribunal that cannot be deceived, and will be sure to retribute to every one according to the mischiefs he hath created to his fellow-subjects that is, any part of mankind.
Two Treatises of Government: of Civil Government Book II 1698
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I will try to retribute to the community as much as I can.
PCLinuxOS-Forums 2008
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This influence is ac - companied by a disposition to criminate him who may be intrust - ed with the direction of the means of protection, sharpened by an indisposition to retribute those who lose by not receiving that protection however sirongly called for by equity.
Memoirs of the war in the Southern department of the United States Lee, Henry, 1756-1818 1812
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