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Retribution vs Revenge - What's the difference?

retribution | revenge |

As nouns the difference between retribution and revenge

is that retribution is punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral outrage or personal vengeance while revenge is any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice.

As a verb revenge is

to take one's revenge (on or upon) someone.

retribution

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral outrage or personal vengeance.
  • *1983 , Richard A. Posner, The economics of justice m p.208:
  • *:Whereas retribution focuses on the offender's wrong, retaliation focuses on the impulse of the victim (or of those who sympathize with him) to strike back at the offender.
  • * 1999 , , Medieval crime and social control , p.73:
  • *:1. Revenge is for an injury; retribution is for a wrong.
  • *:2. Retribution sets an internal limit to the amount of the punishment according to the seriousness of the wrong; revenge need not.
  • *:3. Revenge is personal; the agent of retribution need have no special or personal tie to the victim of the wrong for which he exacts retribution.
  • *:4. Revenge involves a particular emotional tone, pleasure in the suffering of another, while retribution need involve no emotional tone.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Hypernyms

    * punishment

    Derived terms

    * retributionist * retributive

    revenge

    English

    (wikipedia revenge)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • Any form of personal retaliatory action against an individual, institution, or group for some perceived harm or injustice.
  • (label) A win by the previous loser.
  • *
  • *:“I'm through with all pawn-games,” I laughed. “Come, let us have a game of lansquenet. Either I will take a farewell fall out of you or you will have your sevenfold revenge ”.

    • Synonyms

    * payback, wreak * See also

    Derived terms

    * Montezuma's revenge * revengeful * revenge is a dish best served cold * revengement * revenger

    See also

    * vendetta * avenge * vengeance * get one's own back * get back at somebody * retaliate

    Verb

  • (reflexive) To take one's revenge (on'' or ''upon ) someone.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, / Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius.
  • To take for (a particular harmful action), to avenge.
  • * Ld. Berners
    • to revenge the death of our fathers
  • * Dryden
    • The gods are just, and will revenge our cause.
    Arsenal revenged its loss to Manchester United last time with a 5-0 drubbing this time.
  • (archaic) To take vengeance; to revenge itself.
  • * Shakespeare
    • A bird that will revenge upon you all.

    Anagrams

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