reprisal

reprisal
reprisal [ri prī′zəl]
n.
[ME reprisail < MFr reprisaille < It rappresaglia < riprendere, to take back < L reprehendere: see REPREHEND]
1. Historical the forcible seizure of property or subjects in retaliation for an injury inflicted by another country
2. the act or practice of using force, short of war, against another nation to obtain redress of grievances
3. injury done, or the doing of injury, in return for injury received; retaliation or an act of retaliation, specif. in war, as the killing of prisoners

English World dictionary. . 2014.

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  • reprisal — re·pri·sal /ri prī zəl/ n [Anglo French reprisaile reprisaille, from Middle French, from Old Italian ripresaglia, from ripreso, past participle of riprendere to take back, from ri back + prendere to take, from Latin prehendere] 1 a: the act or… …   Law dictionary

  • Reprisal — Re*pris al (r? priz al), n. [F. repr?saille, It. ripresaglia, rappresaglia, LL. reprensaliae, fr. L. reprehendere, reprehensum. See {Reprehend}, {Reprise}.] 1. The act of taking from an enemy by way of reteliation or indemnity. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • reprisal — early 15c., seizing property or citizens of another nation in retaliation for loss inflicted on one s own, from Anglo Fr. reprisaille (mid 14c.), from O.Fr. reprisaille, from early It. ripresaglia, from ripreso, pp. of riprendere take back, from… …   Etymology dictionary

  • reprisal — *retaliation, retribution, revenge, vengeance …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • reprisal — [n] revenge avengement, avenging, counterblow, counterstroke, eye for an eye*, paying back, requital, retaliation, retribution, vengeance; concept 384 Ant. kindness, sympathy …   New thesaurus

  • reprisal — ► NOUN 1) an act of retaliation. 2) historical the forcible seizure of a foreign subject or their goods as an act of retaliation. ORIGIN Old French reprisaille, from Latin reprehendere seize, check, rebuke …   English terms dictionary

  • reprisal — n. 1) to carry out reprisals 2) a harsh reprisal 3) a reprisal against, on 4) in reprisal for 5) (misc.) by way of reprisal * * * [rɪ praɪz(ə)l] on (misc.) by way of reprisal a harsh reprisal a reprisal against in reprisal for …   Combinatory dictionary

  • reprisal — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ bloody, brutal, savage, violent ▪ military ▪ The government responded with harsh military reprisals. ▪ economic …   Collocations dictionary

  • Reprisal — Not to be confused with a reprise. In warfare, a reprisal is a limited and deliberate violation of the laws of war to punish an enemy for breaking the laws of war. A legally executed reprisal is not an .To be legally justified, a reprisal can… …   Wikipedia

  • reprisal — UK [rɪˈpraɪz(ə)l] / US noun [countable/uncountable, often plural] Word forms reprisal : singular reprisal plural reprisals something unpleasant that is done to punish an enemy or opponent because of something bad that they have done to you… …   English dictionary

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