vindication

noun

Etymology: From Late Middle English vendicacion, vyndicacion, vyndycacion (“assertion of a claim”), from Old French vindication (“revenge, vengeance”) (modern dialectal French vindication), or from Medieval Latin vendicātio, both from Latin vindicātiō (“avenging; defence, protection, vindication; punishment; etc.”), from vindicō (“to avenge; to take revenge on; to protect from; etc.”) + -tiō (suffix forming nouns from verbs, denoting processes, actions, or results of actions). Vindicō is derived from vindex (“claimant, vindicator; defender, protector”) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs); and vindex from vim (the accusative singular form of vīs (“force; power, strength; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyh₁- (“to chase, pursue; to persecute; to suppress”)) + dīcere (the present active infinitive of dīcō (“to declare, state; to refer to; to say, talk; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deyḱ- (“to point out, show”)). By surface analysis, vindicate + -ion (suffix denoting an action or process, or its result).

1. An act of asserting or maintaining; an assertion.

   “[T]he loud "Aye, Aye" of the bulk of the members [of Parliament] supported [John] Eliot in his last vindication of English liberty.”

2. An argument, fact, piece of evidence, etc., which vindicates (“clears someone of an accusation or suspicion; justifies a belief or claim by providing evidence or proof”).

   “The Soldiers publiſh'd a vindication, as they call'd it, of their Proceedings and Reſolutions, and directed it to their General; in vvhich they complain'd of a deſign to disband, and nevv model the Army; […] This Apology, or Vindication, being ſign'd by many inferior Officers, the Parliament declared them to be Enemies of the State; and cauſed ſome of them vvho talked loudeſt, to be impriſon'd.”

   “The great vindication of evil is, that (constituted as we are) we could not know so much joy, nor manifest so much virtue without it; and certainly, in instances like these, it fetches out, under circumstances of the extremest weakness, the most beautiful strength of the human heart.”

3. The action of vindicating; also, the state of being vindicated.

   “Among its [Milan's] Natural Curioſities I took particular notice of a Piece of Crystal, that enclos'd a couple of Drops, vvhich look'd like VVater vvhen they vvere ſhaken, tho' perhaps they are nothing but Bubbles of Air. […] The Famous Pere [Jean] Mabillon is novv engag'd in the Vindication of this Tear, vvhich a learned Eccleſiaſtic, in the Neighbourhood of Vendome, vvould have ſuppreſs'd, as a Falſe and ridiculous Relick, […]”

   “These are the reasons which I have gathered from philosophy and nature; to which I can add other circumstances in vindication of the account of this learned body who publish this almanack.”

4. A feeling of deserved satisfaction that comes from being proven correct.

   “When they finally admitted their actions, Anne felt vindication and walked with pride once again.”

5. A legal claim for a declaration that one is the owner of a thing or the holder of a right; an action in rem.

   “Coordinate term: condiction”

   “[T]here also lies against them the action whereby we claim a thing as ours. Actions in rem are called vindications; while those in which we contend that something ought to be given to or done for us are called condictions.”

6. The action of avenging or taking revenge.

   “[P]ublick Vindication of Injuries is not only lavvful, but neceſſary; […] For, vvithout this there vvould be no living, and Human Society could never ſtand. But as to private Vindication of Injuries, that vvhich vve more eſpecially call Revenge, this I ſhall readily allovv to be utterly unlavvful, […]”

7. The action of setting free; deliverance.

   “[T]he peoples affection binding it ſelfe to their redeemer; beſides a neceſſity to keepe them vnited vnto him by the meanes of ſo abhorred a neighbour, from vvhom their vindication, into liberty, muſt bee maintained by their ovvne conſtancy: […]”

8. Punishment, retribution.

   “[T]hings carried ſo farre on in a vvrong vvay, muſt needs either inſlave themſelves and poſterity for ever, or require a vindication ſo ſharpe and ſmarting, as that the Nation vvould groane under it; […]”