Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized as a form of justice, an altruistic action which enforces societal or moral justice aside from the legal system. Referred to as a kind of "wild justice", as described by Francis Bacon.
Read more about Revenge: Function in Society, Revenge in Religion, History, Proverbially, Revenge in The Arts
Famous quotes containing the word revenge:
“The retaliation is apt to be in monstrous disproportion to the supposed offense; for when in anybody was revenge in its exactions aught else but an inordinate usurer?”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Our trouble is that we drink too much tea. I see in this the slow revenge of the Orient, which has diverted the Yellow River down our throats.”
—J.B. (John Boynton)
“In revenge and in love woman is more barbaric than man is.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)