Revenge is doing something to hurt another person because they believe that person hurt them. It is also called vengeance, vendetta, payback, retribution or retaliation. It can also be doing something to get even for an insult, real or perceived. Vengeance is as old as people are. it is a natural urge that has been examined by psychologists, philosophers, legal scholars, poets, playwrights and others. Anthropologists have discovered chimpanzees will try to get revenge on thieves who steal their food.