an eye for an eye


an eye for an eye

Compensation or retribution that is (or should be) equal to the injury or offense that was originally dealt. The saying comes from various passages in the Bible, including in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, and is sometimes expanded as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." Some countries have laws that punish crimes with an eye for an eye, most often that killing someone will result in one's death.See also: eye

eye for an eye, an

Punishment in which the offender suffers what the victim has suffered, exact retribution, as in Joe believed in an eye for an eye; stealing his client would have to be avenged. This idiom is a quotation from the Bible, which has "Life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth" (Deuteronomy 19:21); the idea is contradicted in the New Testament (see turn the other cheek). See also: eye

an eye for an eye

COMMON People say an eye for an eye to mean a system of justice in which the punishment for a crime is either the same as the crime or equivalent to it. They should bring back the death penalty for murder. An eye for an eye. Note: People sometimes use the full expression, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth with the same meaning. If the world is ever to be free of pointless wars, we will all have to abandon the belief in the barbaric philosophy of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Note: Variations of this expression occur several times in the Old Testament of the Bible: `Life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.' (Deuteronomy 19:21) See also: eye

an ˌeye for an ˈeye (and a ˌtooth for a ˈtooth)

(saying) a person who treats somebody else badly should be treated in the same way OPPOSITE: two wrongs don’t make a rightThis expression comes from the Bible.See also: eye

an eye for an eye

Punishment in which an offender suffers what the victim has suffered.See also: eye

eye for an eye, an

Revenge or retribution, repayment in kind. This term comes from Mosaic law as expressed in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy (19:21): “Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” The sentiment and wording were repeated in the Book of Leviticus (24:20) but countermanded in the Gospel of St. Matthew (5:38–39), which tells us instead to turn the other cheek. See also: eye