tooth for a tooth
Matching the harm
A tooth for a tooth is a principle of equivalent retaliation—punishment matching the offense in kind and degree.
From the biblical phrase an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, it justifies vengeance proportional to harm received: He believed in a tooth for a tooth and planned to return the insult.
The full phrase appears more often than this shortened form.
- eye for an eyePunishment matching the offense
- tit for tatEquivalent retaliation
- Hammurabi's codeAncient Babylonian legal text
- Mosaic lawHebrew scriptural commandments
- Old TestamentPre-Christian biblical canon
justice · quid pro quo · retribution · getting even · settling scores · fairness · proportionality · pound of flesh · just deserts · tribal customs · biblical law · equity · punishment · vengeance · payback · accountability · lawfulness · Roman law
- consequencesconsequence, consequences, result, results, effect
tooth for a toothforgiveness
Releasing resentment toward offenders
mercy · turn the other cheek · grace · pardon · clemency
tooth for a toothreconciliation
Restoration of friendly relations
peacemaking · nonviolence · ahimsa · pacifism · de-escalation
tooth for a toothnonviolence
Principled rejection of force
pacifism · forbearance · tolerance · letting go · moving on