Library / English Dictionary

REPLY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: replied   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

Example:

he wrote replies to several of his critics

Synonyms:

answer; reply; response

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("reply" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reply"):

rescript (a reply by a Pope to an inquiry concerning a point of law or morality)

feedback (response to an inquiry or experiment)

Derivation:

reply (react verbally)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The speech act of continuing a conversational exchange

Example:

he growled his reply

Synonyms:

reply; response

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("reply" is a kind of...):

speech act (the use of language to perform some act)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reply"):

counterblast (a vigorous and unrestrained response)

non sequitur (a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it)

comeback; counter; rejoinder; replication; retort; return; riposte (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one))

echo (a reply that repeats what has just been said)

answer (the speech act of replying to a question)

Derivation:

reply (react verbally)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

React verbally

Example:

We answered that we would accept the invitation

Synonyms:

answer; reply; respond

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "reply" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "reply"):

call back (return or repeat a telephone call)

counter (speak in response)

field (answer adequately or successfully)

sass (answer back in an impudent or insolent manner)

come back; rejoin; repay; retort; return; riposte (answer back)

bridle (respond to the reins, as of horses)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to somebody

Sentence example:

They reply that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

reply (a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation)

reply (the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange)

Credits

 Context examples: 

"All wrong. Old Mr. Laurence sent it," replied Mrs. March.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“You know it won’t,” was her reply.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“Druther break cayuses any day, and twice on Sundays,” was the reply of the driver, as he climbed on the wagon and started the horses.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

"I'll tell him," she replied, with a toss of her head.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“Well, I don't know how it is, my dear,” he replied, considering about it.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He replied, without turning round, that they had all flown away.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

On the Monday morning Holmes had telegraphed to the London police, and in the evening we found a reply waiting for us at our hotel.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I'll wait for a dead sure shot," was the reply.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"I'm sorry you don't like him," was her reply.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)