ENGLISH
REFERENCE

an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth

idiom
Meaning

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


Origin

disputed origin

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)

Examples
SIMPLE

He believes in an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

CONTEXTUAL

The rival gangs operate on the principle of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, leading to endless conflict.

COMPLEX

The ancient legal code demanded an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, ensuring that the punishment always mirrored the original crime.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 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.

  2. 02

    blink of an eye

    A moment (a very short period of time).

  3. 03

    camel through the eye of a needle

    Hyperbole to illustrate something that is impossible to do or to make happen.

  4. 04

    catch someone's eye

    To capture someone's attention.

  5. 05

    catch the eye

    To attract the attention

  6. 06

    clean as a hound's tooth

    Very clean.

  7. 07

    close one eye

    to look the other way, to deliberately ignore or overlook (a mistake or transgression).

  8. 08

    dry eye

    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

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