Word Study
avenge
CIDE DICTIONARY
avenge, v. t. [OF. avengier; L. ad + vindicare to lay claim to, to avenge, revenge. See Vengeance.].
- To take vengeance for; to exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer. [1913 Webster]"He will avenge the blood of his servants." [1913 Webster]"Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold." [1913 Webster]"He had avenged himself on them by havoc such as England had never before seen." [1913 Webster] - To treat revengefully; to wreak vengeance on. [1913 Webster]"Thy judgment in avenging thine enemies." [1913 Webster]"I avenge myself upon another, or I avenge another, or I avenge a wrong. I revenge only myself, and that upon another." [1913 Webster]
avenge, v. i.
To take vengeance. [1913 Webster]
avenge, n.
Vengeance; revenge. Spenser. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
avenge, v.tr.
1 inflict retribution on behalf of (a person, a violated right, etc.).
2 take vengeance for (an injury).
1 inflict retribution on behalf of (a person, a violated right, etc.).
2 take vengeance for (an injury).
Idiom
be avenged avenge oneself.
Derivative
avenger n.
Etymology
ME f. OF avengier f. {agrave} to + vengier f. L vindicare vindicate
THESAURUS
avenge
avengement, avenging, chasten, chastise, compensate, correct, counterblow, even the score, get even with, launch a vendetta, pay back, pay out, punish, recompense, redress, repay, reprisal, requital, requite, retaliate, retribution, revanche, revenge, right, take revenge, vengeance, vindicate, wreckageROGET THESAURUS
avenge
Revenge
VB revenge, avenge, vindicate, take one's revenge, have one's revenge, breathe revenge, breathe vengeance, wreak one's vengeance, wreak one's anger, have accounts to settle, have a crow to pluck, have a bone to pick, have a rod in pickle, keep the wound green, harbor revenge, harbor vindictive feeling, bear malice, rankle, rankle in the breast.For further exploring for "avenge" in Webster Dictionary Online