respond

present singular third person responds · participle present responding · participle past responded · past responded

1. intransitivetransitiveTo say something in return; to answer; to reply.

   to respond to a question or an argument

2. intransitiveTo act in return; to carry out an action or in return to a force or stimulus; to do something in response.

   As in much of biology, the most satisfying truths in ecology derive from manipulative experimentation. Tinker with nature and quantify how it responds.

   2012 January 28, Robert M. Pringle, “How to Be Manipulative”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2013, page 31

3. ambitransitiveTo correspond with; to suit.

   For his great deeds respond his speeches great.

   1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC

4. transitiveTo satisfy; to answer.

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

5. intransitiveTo be liable for payment.

plural responds

1. A response.

   Synonyms: answer, comeback, response, retort, return, account, rejoinder, rebuttal

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