get one's own back

/ɡɛt wˈɒnz ˈəʊn bˈak ˌɒn ˌɛsbˈiː/

/ɡɛt wˈʌnz ˈoʊn bˈæk ˌɑːn ˌɛsbˈiː/

[phrase]

to get one's own back

[PHRASE]

to inflict harm or punish someone in return for an injury or wrong they did to one

What is the origin of the idiom "get one's own back" and when to use it?

The idiom "get one's own back" means to retaliate or take revenge on someone who has wronged you, often in a similar manner. This expression is used when a person seeks to settle a score or redress a perceived injustice. It implies a desire for retribution or payback for a previous act. It is commonly used in informal conversations, particularly among friends or acquaintances discussing personal grievances or conflicts.

Examples

1. After he lost his job, he vowed that he would find a way to get his own back.

2. Jonathan bullied me mercilessly at school, but I eventually got my own back when I bought out his father's business and became his boss.

3. You don't need their support if you've got your own back.

4. Kendall would get his own back the following season, winning the title again in 1987 but that summer, frustrated by European exile, he left to join Athletic Bilbao.