# eye for an eye

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/eye-for-an-eye
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

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

## Examples

- He believes in an eye for an eye when people hurt him.
- She rejects the idea of an eye for an eye and chooses to forgive.
- The two neighbors settled their long-standing argument with an eye for an eye, each damaging the other's fence in retaliation.
- The coach warned the players that seeking an eye for an eye after a hard foul would only lead to more penalties for the team.
- If you keep following the rule of an eye for an eye, this office conflict will never end and everyone will stay angry.
- 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.

## Origin

Calque 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).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.