reply

reply 答复，回复

来自 replicare,回复，答复，来自 re-,向后，往回，-plic,弯，转，词源同 ply,complicate.

reply

reply: [14] Etymologically, reply means ‘fold back’. It comes ultimately from Latin replicāre ‘fold back, unfold’, a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘back’ and plicāre ‘fold’ (source of English ply and related to English fold). This came to be used metaphorically for ‘go over again, repeat’ (whence English replicate [16]), and also as a legal term for ‘respond’. In this latter sense it passed into English via Old French replier.
=> fold, ply, replicate

reply (v.)

late 14c., "to make an answer," from Old French replier "to reply, turn back," from Late Latin replicare "to reply, repeat," in classical Latin "fold back, fold over, bend back," from re- "back, again" (see re-) + plicare "to fold" (see ply (v.1)). Latin literal sense of "to fold back" is attested from mid-15c. in English but is not now used. Modern French répliquer (Middle French replier) is directly from Late Latin. Related: Replied; replying.

reply (n.)

1550s, from reply (v.).

1. He said in reply that the question was unfair.

他回答说这个问题不公平。

2. They went ahead without waiting for a reply from the Germans.

他们没等德国人答复就接着往下推进。

3. I have received neither an acknowledgment nor a reply.

我未收到任何复函或答复。

4. Major's reply came as a complete surprise to the House of Commons.

梅杰的回答让众议院大吃一惊。

5. We guarantee to reply in full within 10 working days.

我们保证在10个工作日内悉数回复。

【response, return, reply】
response: 指对刺激的回应，也指对紧迫的或指定问题的回答
return: 回报
reply: 指对他人的陈述或问题给与回答，常与介词to搭配；

【answer, reply, respond, retort, return】
这些动词均有“回答”之意。
answer: 常用词，指用书面、口头或行动对他人的请求、询问、质问等作出回答或反应。
reply: 较正式用词，较少用于口语。侧重经过考虑的较正式答复。
respond: 正式用词，指即刻的，以口头或行动对外来的号召、请求或刺激等作出回答或响应。
retort: 指对不同意见、批评或控诉作出迅速、有力的回答，即“反驳”。
return: 正式用词，从本义“归来，回去”引申作“回答、答辨”讲时，含反驳或反唇相讥之意。