He believes in an eye for an eye when people hurt him.
eye for an eye
idiomCompensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting an identical injury on that person.
Origin
disputed originCalque of Hebrew עין תחת עין (ayin tahat ayin), 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).
The two neighbors settled their long-standing argument with an eye for an eye, each damaging the other's fence in retaliation.
The ancient legal code was built upon the principle of an eye for an eye, demanding that every harm be repaid with an identical punishment.
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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.
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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.
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blink of an eye
A moment (a very short period of time).
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camel through the eye of a needle
Hyperbole to illustrate something that is impossible to do or to make happen.
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catch someone's eye
To capture someone's attention.
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catch the eye
To attract the attention
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close one eye
to look the other way, to deliberately ignore or overlook (a mistake or transgression).
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dry eye
An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.
Last updated April 17, 2026