reprisal Look up reprisal at Dictionary.com
1419, "seizing property or citizens of another nation in retaliation for loss inflicted on one's own," from Anglo-Fr. reprisaille (1352), from O.Fr. reprisaille, from early It. ripresaglia, from ripreso, pp. of riprendere "take back," from L. reprendere, earlier reprehendere (see reprehend). General sense of "retaliation" is from 1710.