tit for tat

Meaning

Equivalent retribution; an act of returning exactly what one gets; an eye for an eye.

Synonyms

revenge

reprisal

law of retaliation

exchange

quid pro quo

retaliation

retribution

swap

swop

barter

being even with

bonnet

coif

hat

👒

Translations

olho por olho

loi du talion

ojo por ojo

Gesetz der Wiedervergeltung

Hut

👒

Kopfbedeckung

tal faràs

Revanche

Rache

so ich dir

Vergeltung

wie du mir

Auge um Auge

καπέλο

Mütze

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈtɪt fə(ɹ)ˈtæt/

Etymology

Uncertain; conjectured to be ultimately from Dutch dit voor dat (“this for that”) or French tant pour tant (“equal for equal”). Compare earlier tip for tap (“(a) blow for (a) blow”), from tip + tap; compare also dialectal tint for tant and tit (“a light blow or hit”). The vowel sequence follows a typical ablaut reduplication pattern.