take revenge

take revenge (against/on someone or something)

To retaliate (against someone else) for a wrong done to oneself; to seek or exact revenge (against someone). Tiffany is always gossiping about me, so I took revenge on her by starting a nasty rumor about her relationship with one of our teachers. I see the growth of this extremist movement as largely being citizens taking revenge against the established government, which they feel has betrayed or abandoned them. Taking revenge will never give you a sense of peace or closure—you'll remain just as angry as before, and it will bring suffering to someone else along with you.
See also: on, revenge, someone, take
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

take revenge (against someone)

 and seek revenge (against someone); get revenge against someone; take revenge (on someone) (for something)
to get even with someone. Linda planned to take revenge against Ellen. I intend to take revenge on Paul for what he did. I will not seek revenge.
See also: revenge, take
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • take revenge (against/on someone or something)
  • get revenge
  • revenge
  • seek revenge
  • seek revenge (against/on someone or something)
  • avenge oneself
  • avenge
  • avenge (oneself)
  • avenge (oneself) for (something)
  • revenge (oneself) (up)on (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
In the last phase, the participant is again the master of the game and can choose to take revenge or not, by penalizing the other two players.
Can brain suppress the act of revenge?
Mr Petitjean, who is worried his daughter may have been radicalised, said: "She is able to take revenge on an innocent, a police officer, a woman, anyone."' Laura was released without charge after being questioned in the wake of the killing of Father Jacques Hamel last Tuesday.
Dad fears as priest killer's sister freed
I no longer wanted to take revenge. Now I was thinking how by my compassion and actions I wanted to make this planet a better place to live.'
Ela Koloshi: 'that bullet was meant for me': when refugees poured in to Albania during the war in Kosovo, they set Ela Koloshi on the road to forgiving. She talks to Bob Webb
Three days ago when PTI decided to sit in Parliament after many months of protests, Khawaja Asif used very harsh language for them, to which Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that they will take revenge from the Defence Minister.
PTI takes insult revenge from Khawaja Asif
He announced that blood of workers will not go waste and people will take revenge in this respect.
Revenge being taken from us for standing with the army: Tahir ul Qadri