respond

English

Etymology

Old French respondre (Modern répondre), from Latin respondeō.

Pronunciation

Noun

• (UK) IPA: /ɹəˈspɒnd/, SAMPA: /r\@"spQnd/

Verb

• (UK) IPA: /ɹəˈspɒnd/, /ˈɹiːˌspɒnd/, SAMPA: /r\@"spQnd/, /"r\i:%spQnd/

• Audio (US)

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Verb

respond (third-person singular simple present responds, present participle responding, simple past and past participle responded)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To say something in return; to answer; to reply.
2. (intransitive) To act in return; to exhibit some action or effect in return to a force or stimulus; to do something in response; to accord.
3. (intransitive) To correspond; to suit.
4. (transitive) To satisfy; to answer.

   The prisoner was held to respond the judgment of the court.

Derived terms

• responder

Translations

to say something in return

French: répondre (fr) Lojban: spuda (jbo)

Spanish: responder (es)

to act in return

French: répondre (fr)

to correspond

French: répondre (fr)

to satisfy

French: répondre (fr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Esperanto: respondi (eo)

Noun

respond (plural responds)

1. A response.
2. A versicle or short anthem chanted at intervals during the reading of a lection.
3. (architecture) A half-pillar, pilaster, or any corresponding device engaged in a wall to receive the impost of an arch.

Related terms

• response
• responsible
• responsibility

See also

• react

References

• respond in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• respond in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• ponders