vindicatory, a.
(ˈvɪndɪkeɪtərɪ)
[f. vindicate v. + -ory.]
1. Serving to vindicate; justificatory, defensive.
| 1647 Royall & Royallist's Plea 13 The warre on the Kings side is vindicatory and defensorie. 1755 Johnson, Vindicatory, defensory; justificatory. 1802 Mrs. J. West Infidel Father III. 258 No proud aggression of vindicatory virtue would be visible in her manner. 1863 Geo. Eliot Romola iii. xxiii, A favourable magistracy..were writing urgent vindicatory letters to Rome on his behalf. 1884 19th Cent. May 869 The teaching of the parent Legislature does not end with the record of the famous contentions and vindicatory triumphs of the past from which it is derived. |
2. Avenging; punitive, retributive.
| 1655 Bramhall Def. True Liberty 83 The afflictions of Job were no vindicatory punishments to take vengeance of his sins,..but probatory chastisements to make triall of his graces. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 56 To make the sanction of their laws rather vindicatory than remuneratory, or to consist rather in punishments, than in actual particular rewards. 1800 Ann. Reg. 153 The laws should be vindicatory on such occasions. 1874 Bushnell Forgiveness & Law iii. 188 By the law..we are only held in terms of penal discipline and not of desert or vindicatory justice. 1882–3 Schaff's Encycl. Relig. Knowl. 1973 Every true philosophy of punishment must recognize the deterrent, and especially the vindicatory element, as well as the reformatory element. |