Forms: 4–6 auenge, (4 awenge), 5 avenie (= je), 5–6 aduenge, 5– avenge. [a. OF. avengier (3rd s. pr. avenge), f. à to + vengier:—L. vindicāre to claim as one’s own, avenge: see VINDICATE. The pref. a- was often in the 15–16th c. expanded to ad-, after assumed Latin analogies; cf. advertise, advance, advowson.]
1. To take vengeance, inflict retributive punishment, exact satisfaction, or retaliate, on behalf of (an injured person, violated right, etc.); to vindicate. Const. on, upon, of (arch.), against (arch. or obs.), (over obs.) the offender; of, against the offence (arch.). a. trans.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XX. 382. Now kynde me auenge.
c. 1450. Merlin, x. 155. He wolde his felowe a-venge yef he in eny wyse cowde.
1526. Tindale, Luke xviii. 3. Avenge [Wyclif, venge] me of myne adversary.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. iv. 94. Remember to auenge me on the French.
1655. Milton, Sonn., xviii. Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints.
1799. Sheridan, Pizarro, II. iv. Go, and avenge your fallen brethren.
1866. Neale, Seq. & Hymns, 74. Thou shalt avenge Thy right.
b. refl. (on one’s own behalf.)
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1029. Auenge þe her-of eft sone.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. xiii. 162. Thus auenged he hym on her.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xvi. 259. Brute Beasts … they aduenge themselues.
1861. Hook, Lives Abps., I. vii. 377. Edwy had the power to avenge himself upon Dunstan.
fig. 1837. Disraeli, Venetia, I. ix. He … avenged himself at these moments for his habitual silence before third persons.
c. passively. (Chiefly with reflexive sense.)
c. 1375. Wyclif, Antecrist, 126. Crist was suffryng & forȝaue, & þei wolen be awengid.
c. 1440. Syr Gowghter, 448. On the he will avenied be.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 418/2. I shal be aduengyd agenst the.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. cxix. 84. When wilt thou be auenged of my aduersaries?
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 143. Hee to be aveng’d … Determin’d to advance into our room A Creature form’d of Earth.
d. intr. (refl. pron. omitted) To take vengeance.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. i. 23. I must ease me of myne enemies, and a venge [1611 auenge me] vpon them.
1611. Bible, Lev. xix. 18. Thou shalt not auenge [Coverdale, thyself], nor beare any grudge against the children of thy people.
2. trans. To take vengeance, inflict retributive punishment, or retaliate on account of, or to exact satisfaction for (a wrong or injury, or the feelings of resentment caused by it). Const. as in 1.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 101. For be þis derkenesse ydo his deth worth avenged.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, H vij. For to auenge his grete yre.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 289/1. The which God shall aduenge full straitly ouer you.
1611. Bible, Hosea i. 4. I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 112. To avenge even a look that threatened her with insult.
1860. Massey, Hist. Eng., III. xxix. 267. Private grudges were avenged.
† 3. To take vengeance upon. Obs.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 206. Thy mercy in blessing and forgiuing thy people, and thy judgment in avenging thine enemies.
1666. [see AVENGING vbl. sb.]
¶ Neither in earlier, nor even in modern, usage is the restriction of avenge and its derivatives to the idea of just retribution, as distinguished from the malicious retaliation of revenge, absolutely observed, although it largely prevails.
