A
feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a
blood feud,
vendetta,
faida,
beef,
clan war,
gang war, or
private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between
social groups of people, especially
families or
clans. Feuds begin because one party (correctly or incorrectly) perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another. Intense feelings of
resentment trigger the initial
retribution, which causes the other party to feel equally aggrieved and
vengeful. The dispute is subsequently fuelled by a long-running cycle of retaliatory
violence. This continual cycle of provocation and retaliation makes it extremely difficult to end the feud peacefully. Feuds frequently involve the original parties' family members and/or associates, can last for
generations, and may result in extreme acts of
violence. They can be interpreted as an extreme outgrowth of social relations based in
family honor.
