reprisal

From Anglo-Norman reprisaille (French représaille), from Old Italian ripresaglia (Italian rappresaglia), from ripreso, past participle of riprendere (“to take back”), from Latin reprendere, earlier reprehendere (see reprehend).

• Rhymes: -aɪzəl

reprisal (countable and uncountable, plural reprisals)

1. An act of retaliation.
2. (archaic) Something taken from an enemy in retaliation.
3. (archaic) The act of taking something from an enemy by way of retaliation or indemnity.
   • Macaulay

     debatable ground, on which incursions and reprisals continued to take place

• See also Thesaurus:revenge

• Parliers, sarplier