reprisal
UK/ri'praizl/US
GREC2
Definitions
n.
An act of retaliation, especially in war or conflict
报复，报复行动（尤指战争或冲突中）
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedre- (back, in return) + pris (a taking, ← prehendere) + -al (noun) = 'a taking-back.' Originally seizing an enemy's goods in return for a wrong; now any retaliation. The image is grabbing something back to settle the score.
Root prehens still carries 16 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.fear reprisals害怕遭到报复
- 2.in reprisal for作为对……的报复
- 3.take reprisals采取报复行动
- 4.fear of reprisal对报复的恐惧
Example Sentences
- 1.
The villagers feared reprisals from the rebels.
- 2.
The attack was launched in reprisal for an earlier raid.