requite

English
WOTD – 24 August 2023

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English requiten (“to repay”), and then partly from both of the following:[1]

  • From re- (prefix meaning ‘again; back, backward’)[2] + quiten (“to pay, pay for; to repay; to acquit (someone of a charge), exonerate; to prove (oneself) innocent; to answer, reply; to atone for (a sin); to compensate, make amends; to depart, leave; to equal, match; to fulfil (an obligation); to give back, return; to give up, relinquish; to release, set free; to render (a service); to reward; to give retribution, take revenge”)[3] (from Old French quitter (“to free, liberate”) (modern French quitter),[4] from quitte (“free, liberated”) + -er (suffix forming verbs)). Quitte is derived from Latin quiētus (“at rest; quiet”), the perfect passive participle of quiēscō (“to repose, rest; to sleep; to be quiet or still”), from quiēs (“rest, repose; sleep; calm, peace, quiet”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”)) + -scō (suffix forming verbs with the sense ‘to begin to do [something]’).
  • From Old French requiter, requitter (“to free or liberate again”), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + quitter (see above).

The noun is derived from the verb.[5]

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɹɪˈkwaɪt/
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • (General American) IPA(key): /ɹəˈkwaɪt/, /ɹi-/
  • Audio (GA)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪt
  • Hyphenation: re‧quite

Verb

requite (third-person singular simple present requites, present participle requiting, simple past and past participle requited)

  1. (transitive)
    1. To repay (a debt owed); specifically, to recompense or reward someone for (a favour, a service rendered, etc.)
      • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], page 13, column 2:
        But remember / (For that's my buſineſſe to you) that you three / From Millaine did ſupplant good Proſpero, / Expos'd vnto the Sea (vvhich hath requit it) / Him, and his innocent childe: for vvhich foule deed, / The Povvres, delaying (not forgetting) haue / Incens'd the Seas, and Shores; yea, all the Creatures / Againſt your peace: […]
        A figurative use.
      • 1614, Lucius Annæus Seneca [i.e., Seneca the Younger], “Of Benefits. The First Book. Chapter XI.”, in Tho[mas] Lodge, transl., The Workes of Lucius Annæus Seneca, both Morrall and Naturall, London: […] William Stansby, →OCLC, page 100:
        He that requiteth a good turne, muſt imploy ſomevvhat of his ovvne, as he doth vvho repayeth the monie he ovveth: but he layeth out nothing vvho ſatisfieth himſelfe, no more then he giueth, vvho giueth to himſelfe. […] He therefore that requiteth a good turne pleaſureth him againe, from vvhom hee hath receiued any thing.
      • 1639, Thomas Fuller, “Jerusalem Wonne by the Turk, with Wofull Remarkables thereat”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book II, page 107:
        [T]hey requited Chriſts paſſion, and died for him vvho ſuffered for them.
      • 1819, Percy B[ysshe] Shelley, The Cenci: A Tragedy, […], [Livorno], Italy: […] [Percy B. Shelley] for C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier […], →OCLC, Act II, scene ii, page 30:
        Children are disobedient, and they sting / Their father's hearts to madness and despair / Requiting years of care with contumely.
      • 1841 July, Edgar A[llan] Poe, “A Few Words on Secret Writing”, in George R[ex] Graham, Rufus W[ilmot] Griswold, editors, Graham’s Lady’s and Gentleman’s Magazine. […], volume XIX, number 1, Philadelphia, Pa.: George R. Graham, →OCLC, page 35, column 2:
        Good cryptographists are rare indeed; and thus their services, although seldom required, are necessarily well requited.
      • 1938 May, Evelyn Waugh, chapter 4, in Scoop: A Novel about Journalists, uniform edition, London: Chapman & Hall, published 1948 (1951 printing), →OCLC, book I (The Stitch Service), pages 57–58:
        "It was the act of an Englishman—a fellow Englishman," said the little man simply. "I hope that one day I shall have the opportunity of requiting it … I probably shall," he added rather sadly. "It is one of the pleasant if quite onerous duties of a man of my position to requite the services he receives—usually on a disproportionately extravagant scale."
    2. To repay (someone) a debt owed; specifically, to recompense or reward (someone) for a favour, a service rendered, etc.
    3. To respond to or reciprocate (feelings, especially affection or love which has been shown).
      • 1534, John Heywood, A Play of Loue, […], [London]: […] W[illiam] Rastell, →OCLC; reprinted as John S. Farmer, editor, A Play of Love […] (The Tudor Facsimile Texts), London, Edinburgh: […] T. C. & E. C. Jack, […], 1909, →OCLC, signature B.i., verso:
        My loue is requyted ſo louyngly / That in euery thyng that may delyght my mynde, / My wyt can not wyſhe it ſo well as I fynde
      • 1843, Friedrich Schiller, translated by I. Towler, Don Carlos: Infante of Spain. A Dramatic Poem. […], Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg: Francis Nöldeke, →OCLC, act I, scene ii, page 11:
        To love thee boundless, was my bold resolve, / Because my courage fail'd to equal thee. / I then began with thousand tender arts / And pure fraternal love, thy heart to storm. / But cold, proud soul, requitedst thou this love.
    4. To do or give a thing in return for (something).
    5. To retaliate or seek revenge for (an insult, a wrong, etc.).; to avenge.
      Synonyms: see Thesaurus:avenge
    6. To retaliate or seek revenge against (someone) for an insult, a wrong, etc.; also (reflexive, rare), to seek revenge for (oneself).
    7. (obsolete)
      1. To greet (someone) in return.
      2. To make up for (something); to compensate.
      3. To respond to (a question, a statement, etc.).
      4. To take the place of (someone or something); to replace.
        • 1646, Thomas Browne, “Concerning the Loadstone, therein of Sundry Common Opinions, and Received Relations, Naturall, Historicall, Medicall, Magicall”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 77:
          [For if] tranſmutation be made from one mans body into another, as if a piece of fleſh be exchanged from the biciptall muſcle of either parties arme, and about them both, an Alphabet circumſcribed; upon a time appointed as ſome conceptions affirme, they may communicate at vvhat diſtance ſoever. For if the one ſhall prick himſelf in A, the other at the ſame time vvill have a ſenſe thereof in the ſame part; […] vvhich is a vvay of intelligence very ſtrange, and vvould requite the Arte of Pythagoras; vvho could read a reverſe in the Moone.
        • 1680, Henry More, “Notes. Chapter XVII. Vers. 8.”, in Apocalypsis Apocalypseos; or The Revelation of St John the Divine Unveiled. […], London: […] J. M. for J[ohn] Martyn, and W. Kettilby, […], →OCLC, page 184:
          This Roman Hierarchy ſhall be Politically killed, deveſted of all Povver and Authority: From vvhence vvill naturally flovv Mourning and Famine, grief of heart, vvith ſcarcity and poverty to requite their luxury before.
        • 1697, Virgil, “The Fourth Pastoral. Or, Pollio.”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 19, lines 75–76:
          Thy Mother vvell deſerves that ſhort delight, / The nauſeous Qualms of ten long Months and Travel to requite.
      5. (reflexive) Of an action, a quality, etc.: to be a reward for (itself).
  2. (intransitive)
    1. To recompense, to repay.
    2. To retaliate, to seek revenge.
      • 1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter XIV.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published April 1557, →OCLC, book IV, page 278, column 2:
        […] Chriſt and his holy apoſtles, exhort euery man to pacience and ſufferance, without requiting of an euil dede or making anye defence but vſing further ſufferance, & doyng alſo good for euill, […]
      • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Jeremiah 51:56:
        Becauſe the ſpoiler is come vpon her, euen vpon Babylon, and her mightie men are taken, euery one of their vowes is broken, for the Lord God of recompenſes ſhall ſurely requite.

Conjugation
Conjugation of requite
infinitive (to) requite
present tense past tense
1st-person singular requite requited
2nd-person singular requite, requitest† requited, requitedst†
3rd-person singular requites, requiteth† requited
plural requite
subjunctive requite requited
imperative requite —
participles requiting requited

†Archaic or obsolete.

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

requite

  1. Chiefly in the form in requite for or of: synonym of requital (“compensation for damage or loss; return in kind, recompense, repayment, reward”)

Translations
synonym of requital — see requital

References
  1. “requī̆ten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. “rē̆-, pref.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  3. “quī̆ten, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  4. Compare “requite, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023; “requite, v.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  5. “requite, n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023.

Further reading

Anagrams
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