Requits

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Provides something in return for a previous action ; pays back a favor, kindness, or offense with an appropriate response ; repays or reciprocates an act done by someone else
2. Gives restitution or makes amends for something received ; responds to a gesture by returning it in kind ; returns a benefit or wrong that was previously experienced
3. Offers an equivalent reaction or compensation for an earlier deed ; settles an obligation or injury by acting in response ; reciprocates a service, kindness, or slight

Etymology: The verb "requit" is the past tense and past participle form of "requite," which itself has an intriguing history rooted in the idea of repayment or returning a favor. The origin of "requite" dates back to Middle English, where it was borrowed from Old French "requiter," meaning "to repay, avenge, or return." This Old French term likely evolved from the Vulgar Latin "requitare", a frequentative form of the Latin "quietare," which means "to quiet, rest, or pay." Thus, the original sense was closely connected to the idea of settling accounts or restoring balance. In its early English usage, the verb carried a broad sense encompassing both repayment of kindness and revenge or retaliation, reflecting the dual nature of returning something—whether goodwill or harm. Over time, the emphasis shifted more toward reciprocation of kindness or justice rather than vengeance, although the older, more vengeful sense still lingered in literature for centuries. By the 16th and 17th centuries, "requite" and its past forms like "requit" were commonly used in poetry and prose to express the idea of returning love, affection, or favors. Shakespeare, for example, employed the term to convey emotional reciprocation, adding a lyrical quality to the word. The slightly archaic form "requit" remains recognizable today chiefly in literary or formal contexts, giving it a somewhat elevated or old-fashioned tone. The formation of the past tense "requits" follows the regular English verb pattern by adding -s for the third person singular present tense, and the past tense "requit" or "requited" is more common for past actions. The variant "requits" as a verb form is relatively rare and might appear in specialized or poetic usage, where the verb is conjugated in the present tense rather than the past. Overall, this term traces its journey from Latin through French into English, carrying a rich sense of balance and reciprocity, one that encompasses both the gentle return of favors and the fiercer call for justice.

Synonyms: repays, reimburses, returns

Antonyms: owes, withholds