Category:Vengeance

Venge"ance, n. Etym: [f. vengeance, fr. venger to avenge, l. Vindicare to lay claim to, defend, avenge, fr. vindex a claimant, Defender, avenger, the first part of which is of uncertain origin, And the last part akin to dicere to say. See diction, and cf. Avenge, Revenge, vindicate.]

1. Punishment inflicted in return for an injury or an offense; Retribution; -- often, in a bad sense, passionate or unrestrained Revenge. To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Deut. xxxii. 35. To execute fierce vengeance on his foes. Milton.

2. Harm; mischief. [obs.] Shak. What a vengeance, or what the Vengeance, what! -- emphatically. [obs.] "but what a vengeance makes Thee fly!" Hudibras. "what the vengeance! Could he not speak 'em Fair" shak. -- with a vengeance, with great violence; as, to strike with a Vengeance. [colloq.]