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Retribution vs Reward - What's the difference?

retribution | reward |

As nouns the difference between retribution and reward

is that retribution is punishment inflicted in the spirit of moral outrage or personal vengeance while reward is something of value given in return for an act.

As a verb reward is

to give (something) as a reward.

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

    reward

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) reward, rewarde, from (etyl) variants of Old French, ultimately of (etyl) ((etyl)) origin. Compare ''regard'', ''warden'', ''guard . See more below. Displaced native (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something of value given in return for an act.
    • For catching the thief, you'll get a nice reward .
  • A prize promised for a certain deed or catch
    • ''The rewards for bringing in badly wanted criminals are printed on 'dead or alive' posters
  • The result of an action, whether good or bad.
    • Is this the reward I get for telling the truth: to be put in jail?
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2013 , date=January 22 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4) , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Christian Benteke's first-half goal was just reward for Villa's undoubted superiority but Bradford managed to survive without further damage until half-time, before scoring the goal that takes them to Wembley for the first time since 1996.}}
    Synonyms
    * (something of value given in return for an act) payment, recompense * (prize promised for a certain deed or catch) bounty * (result of an action) consequence
    Antonyms
    * punishment

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) rewarden, from (etyl) . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To give (something) as a reward.
  • *:
  • *:Thenne syr Marhaus departed and within two dayes his damoysel brought hym where as was a grete tornement that the lady de Vawse has cryed // And there syr Marhaus dyd so nobly that he was renomed / & had somtyme doune fourty knyghtes / and soo the serklet of gold was rewarded hym
  • *Bible, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17:
  • *:Thou hast rewarded' me good, whereas I have ' rewarded thee evil.
  • (label) To give a reward to or for.
  • :
  • (label) To recompense.
  • :
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 2, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
    • , title= Bulgaria 0-3 England , passage=The Italian opted for Bolton's Cahill alongside captain John Terry - and his decision was rewarded with a goal after only 13 minutes. Bulgaria gave a hint of defensive frailties to come when they failed to clear Young's corner, and when Gareth Barry found Cahill in the box he applied the finish past Nikolay Mihaylov.}}
    Derived terms
    * rewardable * rewarder * rewarding * unrewarded
    Related terms
    * award

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

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