英语相似词辨析 revenge, avenge

revenge, avenge¹

这两个词都表示“复仇”之意，但词义和使用场合均有所不同。

Revenge大都指为自己报仇，有时它还带有报复的意味（to do harm or injury in return for any harm，injury or insult）。例：

The oppressed resolved to revenge themselves upon (on) the oppressors.

被压迫者决定向压迫者复仇。

He swore to revenge a wrong done to him.

他发誓要为他所受到的冤屈而报复。

Avenge大都指替别人复仇；复仇的动机并不是为了自己，而是为了正义感（to punish for a wrong done and often for the sake of justice）。例：

Hamlet planned to avenge his father upon the murderer.

哈姆雷特打算惩处凶手以报父仇。

In order to avenge the murder of his father，Hamlet pretended to

be insane.

为了报杀父之仇，哈姆雷特假装发疯。

值得注意的是，我们除了要辨清revenge和avenge 的内涵外，还需注意这两个词的用法。请记住，我们总是说：

to revenge oneself upon (or on) one's enemy to avenge oneself upon (or on) one's enemy for something 或 to avenge something upon ( or on) one's enemy

请看下面的句子和译文：

I will avenge my friend.

我要为我的朋友报仇。（不是：我向我的朋友报仇。）

因此，I will avenge my enemy的句子是错误的。

Revenge的名词与动词同形； avenge的名词是vengeance²。例：

Blood feuds³ occur when people from two villages of clans⁴ take revenge on (upon) each other.

We bombed their village in revenge for their attack on us.

He swore vengeance on (upon) the invaders⁵.

1 avenge   

v.为...复仇，为...报仇

参考例句：

• He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
• He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

2 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

3 feuds   

n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Quarrels and feuds between tribes became incessant. 部落间的争吵、反目成仇的事件接连不断。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• There were feuds in the palace, no one can deny. 宫里也有斗争，这是无可否认的。 来自辞典例句

4 clans   

宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派

参考例句：

• There are many clans in European countries. 欧洲国家有很多党派。
• The women were the great power among the clans [gentes], as everywhere else. 妇女在克兰〈氏族〉里，乃至一般在任何地方，都有很大的势力。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源

5 invaders   

入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
• The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。