re·pri·sal /ri-'prī-zəl/ n [Anglo-French reprisaile reprisaille, from Middle French, from Old Italian ripresaglia, from ripreso, past participle of riprendere to take back, from ri- back + prendere to take, from Latin prehendere]
1 a: the act or practice in international law of resorting to force short of war in retaliation for damage or loss suffered
b: an instance of such action
2: a retaliatory act
may not fire a complaining employee in reprisal
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.