Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - reprisal

 noun  Etymology: Middle English reprisail, from Anglo-French reprisaile, from Medieval Latin represalia, from Old Italian rappresaglia, ultimately from ripreso, past participle of riprendere to take back, from ri- re- (from Latin re-) + prendere to take, from Latin prehendere — more at get  Date: 15th century  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. obsolete prize  3. the regaining of something (as by recapture)  4. something (as a sum of money) given or paid in restitution — usually used in plural  5. a retaliatory act