vengeance

with a vengeance

Determinedly or passionately, perhaps fueled by anger. After my girlfriend dumped me, I started working out with a vengeance. We're going to have to clean with a vengeance to get the house ready in time.

See also: vengeance

revenge is sweet

Revenge is a potent source of satisfaction and pleasure. John had been bullying and humiliating us for the entire year, so a group of about 20 or so kids got together to peg him with dozens of rotten eggs at the senior prom. Revenge is sweet. Revenge was sweet for the team on Saturday, as they defeated their cross-town rivals for the first time in 10 years. He tormented me for being such a bookworm throughout high school. Now, I run a multi-billion-dollar company while he flips burgers at a fast food restaurant. Revenge is sweet, sometimes.

See also: revenge, sweet

flame with (an emotion)

Of the eyes, to seem to convey a particular feeling or emotion with intensity. Callie's eyes flamed with anger when I accused her of cheating on the test. Of course John's interested in you—his eyes are practically flaming with desire every time he looks at you.

See also: flame

do something with a vengeance

Fig. to do something with vigor; to do something energetically as if one were angry. Bob is building that fence with a vengeance. Mary is really weeding her garden with a vengeance.

See also: vengeance

flame with anger

 and flame with resentment; flame with lust; flame with vengeance

Fig. [for someone's eyes] to "blaze" or seem to communicate a particular quality or excitement, usually a negative feeling. His eyes flamed with resentment when he heard Sally's good news. Her eyes flamed with hatred.

See also: anger, flame

Revenge is sweet.

Prov. It is very pleasurable to revenge yourself on someone. Jill: Remember when Tom left me for another woman? Well, she just left him, and he asked me out on a date. I told him I had better things to do. Jane: Revenge is sweet, huh?

See also: revenge, sweet

with a vengeance

Cliché with determination and eagerness. The angry soldier attacked the enemy with a vengeance. Bill ate all his dinner and gobbled up his dessert with a vengeance.

See also: vengeance

wreak vengeance (up)on someone or something

Cliché to seek and get revenge on someone by harming someone or something. The gangster wreaked his vengeance by destroying his rival's house. The general wanted to wreak vengeance on the opposing army for their recent successful attack.

See also: on, vengeance, wreak

with a vengeance

With great violence or energy; also, to an extreme degree. For example, The cottage was filthy and Ruth began cleaning with a vengeance, or December has turned cold with a vengeance. This expression was first recorded in 1533. Also see with a will.

See also: vengeance

with a vengeance

in a higher degree than was expected or desired; in the fullest sense.

See also: vengeance

do something with a ˈvengeance

(informal) do something with great energy or force: After the holidays I need to start working with a vengeance. ♢ The rain came down with a vengeance.

See also: something, vengeance

with a vengeance

1. With great violence or force.

2. To an extreme degree: December has turned cold with a vengeance.

See also: vengeance

revenge is sweet

Retaliation is wonderfully satisfying. Occasionally put as vengeance is sweet, this observation was made by the ancients, from Homer in the Iliad to Juvenal in his Satires. In English it was voiced by Ben Jonson, Shakespeare, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and countless others. Here is a misogynist version by Byron (Don Juan, 1819–24): “Sweet is revenge—especially to women.”

See also: revenge, sweet

with a vengeance

Forcefully, extremely hard. Vengeance in this old expression is not the same as “revenge” (see also revenge is sweet). It was already in print in 1533, in the same meaning it has today. “Be gone quickly, or my pikestaff and I will set thee away with a vengeance,” wrote George Peele (King Edward I, 1593).

See also: vengeance