requite
UK /ɹɪˈkwaɪt/ · US /ɹəˈkwaɪt/ verb, noun
Forms requites requiting requited requitest requitedst requiteth requit
- verb To repay (a debt owed); specifically, to recompense or reward someone for (a favour, a service rendered, etc.)
- verb To repay (someone) a debt owed; specifically, to recompense or reward (someone) for a favour, a service rendered, etc.
- verb To respond to or reciprocate (feelings, especially affection or love which has been shown).
- verb To do or give a thing in return for (something).
- verb To retaliate or seek revenge for (an insult, a wrong, etc.).; to avenge.
- verb To retaliate or seek revenge against (someone) for an insult, a wrong, etc.; also (reflexive, rare), to seek revenge for (oneself).
- verb To greet (someone) in return.
- verb To make up for (something); to compensate.
- noun Chiefly in the form in requite for or of: synonym of requital (“compensation for damage or loss; return in kind, recompense, repayment, reward”).
Synonyms
avenge even the score get back at get one's own back retaliate settle the score take revenge tar out repay
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English requiten (“to repay”), and then partly from both of the following:
* From re- (prefix meaning ‘again; back, backward’) + quiten (“to pay, pay for; to repay; to acquit (someone of a charge), exonerate; to prove (oneself) innocent; to answer, reply; to atone for (a sin); to compensate, make amends; to depart, leave; to equal, match; to fulfil (an obligation); to give back, return; to give up, relinquish; to release, set free; to render (a service); to reward; to give retribution, take revenge”) (from Old French quitter (“to free, liberate”) (modern French quitter), from quitte (“free, liberated”) + -er (suffix forming verbs)). Quitte is derived from Latin quiētus (“at rest; quiet”), the perfect passive participle of quiēscō (“to repose, rest; to sleep; to be quiet or still”), from quiēs (“rest, repose; sleep; calm, peace, quiet”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”)) + -scō (suffix forming verbs with the sense ‘to begin to do [something]’).
* From Old French requiter, requitter (“to free or liberate again”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + quitter (see above).
The noun is derived from the verb.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To repay; in a good sense, to recompense; to return (an equivalent) in good; to reward; in a bad sense, to retaliate; to return (evil) for evil; to punish.
Etymology [Pref. re- + quit.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “requite”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details