get one's own back

English

Etymology

From get someone's back.

Verb

get one's own back (third-person singular simple present gets one's own back, present participle getting one's own back, simple past got one's own back, past participle (UK) got one's own back or (US) gotten one's own back)

1. To avenge oneself.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:avenge

   • 2022 August 24, Peter Bradshaw, “Mr Malcolm’s List review – Regency romcom served with cake-icing of irony”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     When he spurns her, Julia is outraged to hear it is because she did not measure up to his secret list of 10 bullet-pointed attributes for an ideal bride. To get her own back, she invites her best friend, penniless clergyman’s daughter Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto), up to town to ensnare Malcolm, by faking the 10 comely attributes from his list.