tit for tat

English

Noun

tit for tat (plural tit for tats)

1. (idiomatic) equivalent retribution, an eye for an eye, returning exactly what you get.

   If you hit me, I'll hit you back; tit for tat.

2. (Cockney rhyming slang) hat.

Translations

returning exactly what you get

• Czech: oko za oko (cs)
• Italian: pan per focaccia (it)
• Macedonian: мило за драго (mk) (mílo za drágo) n
• Norwegian: like for like (no)

• Persian: این به اون در (fa) (in be on dár)
• Romanian: ochi pentru ochi (ro)
• Russian: око за око (ru) (óko za óko)
• Spanish: ojo por ojo (es)

Adjective

tit for tat (not comparable)

1. Having the characteristic of returning bad for bad.

   Unfortunately, many adults retain a tit-for-tat attitude, but in a more refined way than the simple, childish shove for shove.

   • From The Guardian June, 22 2007.

     Amid fears that the end to more than five and a half years of talks would lead to a new era of tit-for-tat protectionism, negotiations between the United States and the European Union broke down.

Usage notes

As an adjective, tit-for-tat uses hyphens.

Derived terms

• titfer