1a : the act or practice in international law of resorting to force short of war in retaliation for damage or loss suffered
b : an instance of such action
2 obsolete : PRIZE
3 : the regaining of something (as by recapture)
4 : something (such as a sum of money) given or paid in restitution —usually used in plural
5 : a retaliatory act
hope i helped!
