eye for an eye

Meaning

Noun

• Compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting an identical injury on that person.

Related

Similar words

• a Roland for an Oliver
• tit for tat

Opposite words

• turn the other cheek

Origin

• A calque of Hebrew עין תחת עין, in reference to Exodus 21:23-25: "And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (King James Version; spelling modernized).