Get even means to pay someone back for something they did to you: to take revenge or level the score. It's conversational and often not dramatic at all: people use it about pranks, small grudges and losing a game. The person you get even with is introduced by with: get even with my brother.
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get even (with + person) (for + something/-ing)
- My brother hid my phone as a joke, so I got even by hiding his car keys.
- She lost the first game to her dad but got even with him in the second one.
- Don't try to get even with a rude colleague; talk to your manager instead.
What changed
First versionShe wanted to revenge her brother for the silly joke.
RevisionShe wanted to get even with her brother for the silly joke.
In everyday English, revenge is a noun: take revenge on someone. The verb revenge is rare and formal, and with a person after it, it's more likely to mean taking revenge for them, like avenge. To say she wanted to pay her brother back for a joke, use get even with.
Break even means to make neither a profit nor a loss: income covers costs, but nothing is left over. The café broke even in its first year. It has nothing to do with revenge or a rematch, even though the word even is the same.
Your turn
He beat me at chess three times in a row, but tonight I'm going to ___.
Show the answer
get even — He lost three times and wants to level the score, which is get even. Break even means to make no profit and no loss, so it doesn't fit a chess rematch.
Describe a friendly prank. Say who played it on you and how you got even.
My flatmate put salt in my coffee, so the next morning I got even by filling his sugar bowl with salt too.
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