Part 273

Re*split" (r?*spl?t"), v. t. & i. To split again.

Re*spond" (r?*sp?nd"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Responded; p. pr. & vb. n. Responding.] [OF. respondre, F. répondre, fr. L. respondere, responsum; pref. re- re- + spondere to promise. See Sponsor.] 1. To say somethin in return; to answer; to reply; as, to respond to a question or an argument.

2. To show some effect in return to a force; to act in response; to accord; to correspond; to suit.

A new affliction strings a new cord in the heart, which responds to some new note of complaint within the wide scale of human woe.

Buckminster.

To every theme responds thy various lay.

Broome.

3. To render satisfaction; to be answerable; as, the defendant is held to respond in damages. [U.S.]

Syn. -- To answer; reply; rejoin. See Reply.

Re*spond", v. t. 1. To answer; to reply.

2. To suit or accord with; to correspond to. [R.]

For his great deeds respond his speeches great.

Fairfax.

Re*spond", n. 1. An answer; a response. [R.]

2. (Eccl.) A short anthem sung at intervals during the reading of a chapter.

3. (Arch.) A half pier or pillar attached to a wall to support an arch. Oxf. Gloss.

{ Re*spond"ence (-?ns), Re*spond"en*cy (- en*s?), } n. The act of responding; the state of being respondent; an answering. A. Chalmers.

The angelical soft trembling voice made To the instruments divine respondence meet.

Spenser.

Re*spond"ent (-ent), a. [L. respondens, p. pr. of respondere.] Disposed or expected to respond; answering; according; corresponding.

Wealth respondent to payment and contributions.

Bacon.

Re*spond"ent, n. [Cf. F. répondant.] One who responds. It corresponds in general to defendant. Specifically: (a) (Law) One who answers in certain suits or proceedings, generally those which are not according to the course of the common law, as in equity and admiralty causes, in petitions for partition, and the like; -- distinquished from appellant. (b) One who maintains a thesis in reply, and whose province it is to refute objections, or overthrow arguments; -- distinguished from opponent. I. Watts.

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||Re`spon*den"ti*a (r?`sp?n*d?n"sh?*?), n. [NL. See Respondence.] ||(Commercial Law) A loan upon goods laden on board a ship. It differs ||from bottomry, which is a loan on the ship itself. Bouvier.

Re*spon"sal (r?*sp?n"sal), a. Answerable. [Obs.]

Re*spon"sal, n. [Cf.LL. resposalis.] 1. One who is answerable or responsible. [Obs.] Barrow.

2. Response. [Obs.] Brevint.