/ɹɪˈplaɪ/
OriginFrom Middle English replyen, replien, borrowed from Old French replier (“to reply”), from the Latin replicō, replicāre (“I fold back”) (in Late or Medieval Latin "to reply, repeat"), from re + plicō (“I fold”); the noun derives from the verb by nominalisation. Doublet of replicate and replica.
- intransitive, transitiveTo give a written or spoken response, especially to a question, request, accusation or criticism; to answer.
“(intransitive) Please reply to my letter.”
“(transitive) "Sorry I'm late," replied the student.”
“(transitive) He replied that he was not sure.”
- intransitiveTo act or gesture in response.
“Joanne replied to Pete's insult with a slap to his face.”
“It is a sound to be dreaded until you ascertain that it is being made by friendly forces; even then, your welcome to it must be tempered with some caution, because gunfire usually leads to replying gu”
“[…] bulged the onion bag for the Blades, and Downes and Prendergast replied for the Owls.”
- intransitiveTo repeat something back; to echo.
- A written or spoken response; part of a conversation.
- Something given in reply.
- A counterattack.
- The answer of a figure.
- USA document written by a party specifically replying to a responsive declaration and in some cases an answer.
Formsreplies(present, singular, third-person) · replying(participle, present) · replied(participle, past) · replied(past) · replies(plural)