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get even

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get even (with somebody)

also get back at somebody

to punish someone who did something to you She wants to get even with the guy who hit her with the ball.

Related vocabulary: settle a score

See also: even, get

get even

  (informal)

if you get even with someone who has done something bad to you, you do something bad to them Vinnie's a spiteful kind of guy. Who knows what he might think up to get even. (often + with ) He swore he'd get even with Lee for humiliating him.

See also: even, get