| 释义 |
reprisal, n.|rɪˈpraɪzəl|
Forms: 5 reprisail, 5, 7 -sale, 6–7 -sall, (6 -soll), 7 represal, 7– reprisal; also 7–8 reprizal, (6 -zall, 7 -zeal).
[a. OF. reprisaille (found in AF. in 1352): see reprise v. and -al1. The mod.F. représaille (recorded in 15th c.) is ad. It. ripresaglia (f. ripreso), or med.L. repræsalia (see Du Cange), whence also Sp. represalia, -aria.]
I.
1. (Without article or plural.) The act or practice of seizing by force the property (or persons) of subjects of another nation, in retaliation for loss or injury suffered from these or their countrymen. Now only Hist.
reprisal implied the refusal of the offending nation to grant redress for the injury done, but did not itself create a state of war between the two countries.
a. letters (or commission) of reprisal, an official warrant authorizing an aggrieved subject to exact forcible reparation from the subjects of another state: see marque1 1 and 2. † Also ellipt. in same sense (quot. 1472).
1447Rolls of Parlt. V. 135 To graunte to youre saide Besechers, letters of Marc and Reprisail. 1472Ibid. VI. 65/1 Any Sentence, Jugement, Margue or Reprisale yeven..by his Highnes and his Counseill. 1591Art. conc. Admiralty 21 July §56 All such that contrary to their Commissions of reprisall, haue caried any prizes by them taken into Barbary, Fraunce [etc.]. 1619Sir R. Naunton in Fortescue Papers (Camden) 88 They have bene forced to sue for lettres of reprisal, and have obteined leave under the Great Seale to repaire theyr losses from the subjects of those nacions by whom they were formerly spoiled. 1680Lond. Gaz. No. 1573/4 A Vessel fitted out as a Privatier..boarded her and took her (pretending they had Letters of Reprizall). 1765Blackstone Comm. I. vii. 250 In this case letters of marque and reprisal..may be obtained, in order to seise the bodies or goods of the subjects of the offending state, until satisfaction be made, wherever they happen to be found. 1789Constit. U.S. i. §8 Congress shall have power..to..grant letters of marque and reprisal. 1839Keightley Hist. Eng. I. 450 The king of Scotland..having granted letters of reprisal against the Portuguese to three brothers.
b. In phrases, as to make reprisal; by way of reprisal, by reprisal, or in reprisal (passing into 4 c); and in other contexts.
1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. 277 When the Ambassadours of the Franks complain.., all the answer they have is, that they must make reprisal upon them. 1725De Foe Voy. round World ii. 28 The [Spanish] Doctor..desired..That none of our Men..would ever come so much in Reach of the Spaniards on Shore, as to put it into their Power to seize upon them by Reprizal. 1727–38Chambers Cycl. s.v., This merchant has seized the effects of the Spaniard don—by way of reprisal, because the Spaniards had seized his, and no redress could be had at the court of Madrid. 1803Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1838) II. 418 You will do well to bring away with you all the principal shroffs and soucars, by way of reprisal for the injuries..done by the enemy to the Soubah's country. 1819Jefferson Autobiog. App., Wks. 1859 I. 117 Our first overt act of war was Mr. Henry's..making reprisal on the King's treasury at the seat of government, for the public powder taken away by his Governor. 1839Hallam Hist. Lit. ii. iv. §88 He treats of the general right of war, the difference between public war and reprisal. 1867Burton Hist. Scot. (1873) III. 68 When Scotland, in reprisal for injuries committed by England on her shipping, seized an English vessel.
c. attrib. as † reprisal goods, reprisal office.
1645in Cal. State P., Dom., Chas. I 168 My said brother, who is collector for Reprisal goods. Ibid. 285 Prays that you will order her payment of this..out of the Reprisal office.
2. a. An act or instance of seizing property or persons belonging to another state by way of indemnity or recompense for loss sustained. letters of reprisals: (see 1 a.) † Also const. of.
1611Cotgr. s.v. Represaille, Lettres de represailles, Letters (Patents) of Mart or Marque; letters authorizing reprisalls. 1614Selden Titles Hon. 210 The lawes of Marque or Reprisales. [Cf. Rolls of Parlt. II. 250/1 (anno 1352) La Lei de mark et de reprisailles.] 1641Baker Chron. (1653) 565 Sundry quarrells and complaints arose between the English and the French, touching reprisals of Goods taken from each other by Pirates of either Nation. 1669R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 456 Letters of reprisals against the Dutch..should be granted. 1765Blackstone Comm. I. vii. 251 And indeed this custom of reprisals seems dictated by nature herself. 1790Beatson Nav. & Mil. Mem. I. 40 Letters of marque, or general reprisals, against the ships, goods, and subjects of the King of Spain, were ready to be issued. 1839Hallam Hist. Lit. iii. iv. §129 If justice is refused to us by the sovereign, we have a right to indemnification out of the property of his subjects. This is commonly called reprisals. 1863Sat. Rev. 13 June 745 The Admiral..was then instructed to put the necessary pressure on the Government by proceeding to reprisals. He accordingly detained five vessels.
b. In phr. to make reprisals (cf. 4 b). Also fig.
1663Cowley Verses Sev. Occas., Adv. Five Hours 26 They all shall watch the Travels of your Pen, And Spain on you shall make Reprisals then. 1761Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) III. xl. 352 The queen..gave all the English liberty to make reprisals on the subjects of Philip. 1777Watson Philip II, x. (1839) 179 Not receiving satisfaction, she proceeded to make reprisals, and seized effects, belonging to Spanish and Flemish merchants. 1802James Milit. Dict. s.v. Marque, Granting the subjects of one prince or state liberty to make reprisals on those of another. 1872Yeats Growth Comm. 279 As soon as England was able to protect her merchant-shipping and to make reprisals at sea, piracy declined.
transf.1774Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 221 The loss sustained by the sea..which, we know, makes more than reprizals in other places. 1818Scott Hrt. Midl. ii, He considered himself as robbed and plundered; and took it into his head, that he had a right to make reprisals. 1849Lyell 2nd Visit U.S. II. 55 In the winter, when the sea is making reprisals on the delta.
3.
†a. The taking of a thing as a prize. Obs.
c1595Capt. Wyatt R. Dudley's Voy. W. Ind. (Hakl. Soc.) 6 Our Generall..plied..to the rock, wheare wee had the first chase that wee might justlie auer the reprisoll of. 1596Nashe Saffron Walden 62 Whiles..there be any reprisalls of purses twixt this and Cole-brooke.
†b. A prize. Obs. rare.
1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iv. i. 118, I am on fire, To heare this rich reprizall is so nigh, And yet not ours. 1611Florio, Ripresaglia, All maner of reprisals, prises, pillage, luggage.
c. Regaining, recapture; recaption. ? Obs.
1660Hickeringill Jamaica (1661) 58 To whom our Nation in some measures stands indebted for the Reprizal of that Honour at Rio-Novo, which was so shamefully lost..in Hispaniola. 1726J. M. tr. Trag. Hist. de Vaudray ii. 130 The Enemy..open'd the Campaign with the Siege of St. Omer. The King, endeavouring to repair that Loss by the Reprizal of St. Valery, narrowly escaped [etc.]. 1768Blackstone Comm. III. 4 Recaption or Reprisal is another species of remedy by the mere act of the party injured. 1867Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 569 Reprise, or Reprisal, is the retaking a vessel from the enemy before she has arrived in any neutral or hostile port.
4. a. An act of retaliation for some injury or attack; spec. in warfare, the infliction of similar or severer injury or punishment on the enemy, e.g. by the execution of prisoners taken from them. Also attrib., as reprisal attack, reprisal raid.
1710Lond. Gaz. No. 4726/1 The Garrison..was detained in Reprisals for the following Injuries. 1788Gibbon Decl. & F. l. V. 185 If he falls by their hands, they are exposed in their turn to the danger of reprisals, the interest and principal of the bloody debt are accumulated. 1797Godwin Enquirer i. xi. 101 Their children attempt a reprisal. 1855Brewster Newton II. xv. 43 He..deserved those severe reprisals which doubtless embittered the rest of his days. 1874Green Short Hist. x. §4. 791 Lord Cornwallis..found more difficulty in checking the reprisals of his troops..than in stamping out the last embers of insurrection. c1945Hutchinson's Pict. Hist. War XII. 157/1 The vicious battering of the industrial and military bases of Germany provoked none of the great so-called ‘reprisal’ raids which characterised April and May. 1947R. W. Cooper Nuremberg Trial 81 Everything was to be prepared to carry out reprisal attacks on London. 1956H. Nicolson Diary 29 Oct. (1968) 311 Israel has launched against Egypt an attack that seems more serious than a reprisal raid.
b. In phr. to make reprisals (cf. 2 b).
1710Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) I. ii. iii. 268 In case of violence offer'd 'em..there are Hands ready prepar'd to make sufficient Reprisals. 1756C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 215, I mean not to make reprisals upon these unkind, mistaken gentlemen. 1778F. Burney Evelina xx, He had studied this address by way of making reprisals for my conduct at the ball. 1813Shelley Notes to Q. Mab Wks. (1891) 43/2 She must be the tame slave, she must make no reprisals. 1878R. B. Smith Carthage 169 Hamilcar was driven to make reprisals for the barbarities of the Libyans by throwing his prisoners to be trampled to death.
c. Without article (cf. 1 b).
1839James Louis XIV, II. 92 A prompt and decided measure of reprisal immediately put a stop to this kind of slaughter in detail. 1859Thackeray Virgin. lii, Who might give me up to the Indians in reprisal for cruelties practised by our own people.
II.
†5. = reprise n. 2. Obs. rare—1.
1647N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. lxx. (1739) 184 All such as had Lands worth 20l. yearly besides Reprizals.
6. (Chiefly pl.) A return or compensation; a sum or amount paid or received as compensation. (Cf. reprise n. 3 a.) Now rare.
1668Ormonde MSS. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 60 An addresse from the Commissioners..concerning reprizeals. 1668Clarendon Vindic. Tracts (1727) 64 By increasing the stock for reprisals to such a degree, that all men's pretences might in some measure be provided for. 1704Swift Mech. Operat. Spirit Misc. (1711) 276 Since that Arabian is known to have borrowed a Moiety of his Religious System from the Christian Faith, it is but just he should pay Reprisals. 1715–20Pope Iliad xi. 834 My sire three hundred chosen sheep obtain'd. (That large reprisal he might justly claim, For prize defrauded, and insulted Fame). 1866Geo. Eliot F. Holt ix, He was able to refund, to make reprisals, if they could be fairly demanded. 1878Lecky Eng. in 18th C. II. vi. 177 This restitution was to be postponed until reprisals had been made for the adventurers and soldiers who had got possession of their estates.
†7. = reprise n. 4. Obs. rare—1.
a1797H. Walpole Mem. Geo. II, III. 62 Speaking to him at different reprisals with kindness to mark his satisfaction.
8. Arch. (See reprise n. 6, quot. 1888.)
Hence † reˈprisal v. intr., to make reprisal.
1593Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 93 What is left for a man to do,..but either to hang at Tiborne, or pillage and reprizall where he may. |