an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He believes in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
“She wants an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth after the argument.”
“Is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth always the best way?”
“The rival gangs operate on the principle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, leading to endless conflict.”
“If you break my phone on purpose, I will break yours because I believe in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
“The neighbors keep damaging each other's fences in a cycle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
“The politician argued that strict prison sentences are not about rehabilitation, but rather a simple case of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”
“The ancient legal code demanded an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, ensuring that the punishment always mirrored the original crime.”
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)
- 01
apple of someone's eye
The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.
- 02
blink of an eye
A moment (a very short period of time).
- 03
camel through the eye of a needle
Hyperbole to illustrate something that is impossible to do or to make happen.
- 04
catch someone's eye
To capture someone's attention.
- 05
catch the eye
To attract the attention
- 06
clean as a hound's tooth
Very clean.
- 07
close one eye
to look the other way, to deliberately ignore or overlook (a mistake or transgression).
- 08
dry eye
An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.
Last updated August 10, 2026