THE NFC EAST

[Patler]

Also need help, thesaurus failed me (or I failed in using said thesaurus).

Wanted to use a term for paying a price or penalty through a costly and dearly held mean. I think it often includes the idea of "a pound of flesh", which I had to substitute in the above post.

Its a term that I believe with origins in religious principles. Closely related to penance, but this word would be more specifically tied to the idea of a transaction, a giving up of one thing to another person. Probably also tied to reformation, Luther and the Catholic Church. Its going to drive me nuts for a couple of hours, maybe someone here can help.

Retribution?

[pbmax]

Retribution?

Nope, not exactly. Close cousin perhaps. Paying a tribute (forced compensation of some sort) would come closer. But the term I have in mind is almost always used in active sense against the payer. Very similar to extracting a pound of flesh.