▪ I. avenge, v.
(əˈvɛndʒ)
Forms: 4–6 auenge, (4 awenge), 5 avenie (= je), 5–6 aduenge, 5– avenge.
[a. OF. avengier (3rd s. pr. avenge), f. à to + vengier:—L. vindicāre to claim as one's own, avenge: see vindicate. The pref. a- was often in the 15–16th c. expanded to ad-, after assumed Latin analogies; cf. advertise, advance, advowson.]
1. To take vengeance, inflict retributive punishment, exact satisfaction, or retaliate, on behalf of (an injured person, violated right, etc.); to vindicate. Const. on, upon, of (arch.), against (arch. or obs.), (over obs.) the offender; of, against the offence (arch.). a. trans.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 382 Now kynde me auenge. c 1450 Merlin x. 155 He wolde his felowe a-venge yef he in eny wyse cowde. 1526 Tindale Luke xviii. 3 Avenge [Wyclif, venge] me of myne adversary. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. iv. 94 Remember to auenge me on the French. 1655 Milton Sonn. xviii, Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints. 1799 Sheridan Pizarro ii. iv, Go, and avenge your fallen brethren. 1866 Neale Seq. & Hymns 74 Thou shalt avenge Thy right. |
b. refl. (on one's own behalf.)
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1029 Auenge þe her-of eft sone. 1481 Caxton Myrr. iii. xiii. 162 Thus auenged he hym on her. 1587 Golding De Mornay xvi. 259 Brute Beasts..they ad⁓uenge themselues. 1861 Hook Lives Abps. I. vii. 377 Edwy had the power to avenge himself upon Dunstan. |
| fig. 1837 Disraeli Venetia i. ix, He..avenged himself at these moments for his habitual silence before third persons. |
c. passively. (Chiefly with reflexive sense.)
| c 1375 Wyclif Antecrist 126 Crist was suffryng & forȝaue, & þei wolen be awengid. c 1440 Syr Gowghter 448 On the he will avenied be. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 418/2, I shal be aduengyd agenst the. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxix. 84 When wilt thou be auenged of my aduersaries? 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 143 Hee to be aveng'd..Determin'd to advance into our room A Creature form'd of Earth. |
d. intr. (refl. pron. omitted) To take vengeance.
| 1535 Coverdale Isa. i. 23, I must ease me of myne enemies, and a venge [1611 auenge me] vpon them. 1611 Bible Lev. xix. 18 Thou shalt not auenge [Coverdale, thyself], nor beare any grudge against the children of thy people. |
2. trans. To take vengeance, inflict retributive punishment, or retaliate on account of, or to exact satisfaction for (a wrong or injury, or the feelings of resentment caused by it). Const. as in 1.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 101 For be þis derkenesse ydo his deth worth avenged. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour H vij, For to auenge his grete yre. 1541 Barnes Wks. (1573) 289/1 The which God shall aduenge full straitly ouer you. 1611 Bible Hosea i. 4, I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 112 To avenge even a look that threatened her with insult. 1860 Massey Hist. Eng. III. xxix. 267 Private grudges were avenged. |
† 3. To take vengeance upon. Obs.
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 206 Thy mercy in blessing and forgiuing thy people, and thy judgment in avenging thine enemies. 1666 [see avenging vbl. n.] |
¶ Neither in earlier, nor even in modern, usage is the restriction of avenge and its derivatives to the idea of just retribution, as distinguished from the malicious retaliation of revenge, absolutely observed, although it largely prevails.
▪ II. aˈvenge, n. arch.
[f. prec. vb.]
Execution of vengeance; retributive punishment, retaliation (either upon an offender, or on account of a wrong).
| 1568 Queen Elizabeth in H. Campbell Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots (1824) App. 12 Fearing his avenge when he shall come to age. a 1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhem. N.T. (1618) 668 That for Gods glory in the avenge of Idolatry..there should be no rain for a time. 1880 Lit. World 31 Dec. 453/1 A Spanish avenge for the death of Mary Queen of Scots. |