vindicatoryadj.
/ˈvɪndᵻkeɪt(ə)ri/, /vɪnˈdɪkət(ə)ri/, U.S. /ˈvɪndəkəˌtɔri/, /vɪnˈdɪkəˌtɔri/ 1. Serving to vindicate; justificatory, defensive.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > duty or obligation > moral or legal constraint > immunity or exemption from liability > justification > [adjective] > vindicated > vindicatory
apologeticala1600
apological1607
vindicatory1647
apologetic1649
vindicative1660
vindicating1850
1647 M. Hudson Royall & Royallist's Plea 13 The warre on the Kings side is vindicatory and defensorie.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Vindicatory, defensory; justificatory.
1802 J. West Infidel Father III. 258 No proud aggression of vindicatory virtue would be visible in her manner.
1863 ‘G. Eliot’ Romola III. ix. 87 A favourable magistracy..were writing urgent vindicatory letters to Rome on his behalf.
1884 19th Cent. May 869 The teaching of the parent Legislature does not end with the record of the famous contentions and vindicatory triumphs of the past from which it is derived.
2. Avenging; punitive, retributive.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > retributive punishment > [adjective]
vindicative1610
vindictive1623
vindicatory1655
1655 J. Bramhall Def. True Liberty 83 The afflictions of Job were no vindicatory punishments to take vengeance of his sins,..but probatory chastisements to make triall of his graces.
1765 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. I. 56 To make the sanction of their laws rather vindicatory than remuneratory, or to consist rather in punishments, than in actual particular rewards.
1801 Ann. Reg. 1800 (Otridge ed.) Hist. Europe 153/1 The laws should be vindicatory on such occasions.
1874 H. Bushnell Forgiveness & Law iii. 188 By the law..we are only held in terms of penal discipline and not of desert or vindicatory justice.
1882–3 Schaff's Encycl. Relig. Knowl. 1973 Every true philosophy of punishment must recognize the deterrent, and especially the vindicatory element, as well as the reformatory element.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1647