echo

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Repetition of a sound by reflection of sound waves from a surface.
2. n. The sound produced in this manner.
3. n. A repetition or an imitation: a fashion that is an echo of an earlier style.
4. n. A remnant or vestige: found echoes of past civilizations while examining artifacts in the Middle East.
5. n. One who imitates another, as in opinions, speech, or dress.
6. n. A sympathetic response: Their demand for justice found an echo in communities across the nation.
7. n. A consequence or repercussion: Her resignation had echoes throughout the department.
8. n. Repetition of certain sounds or syllables in poetry, as in echo verse.
9. n. Music Soft repetition of a note or phrase.
10. n. Electronics A reflected wave received by a radio or radar.
11. v. To repeat (a sound) by the reflection of sound waves from a surface.
12. v. To repeat or imitate: followers echoing the cries of their leader; events that echoed a previous incident in history.
13. v. To be repeated by or as if by an echo: The shout echoed off the wall. The speaker's words echoed in her mind.
14. v. To resound with or as if with an echo; reverberate: rooms echoing with laughter.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A sound repeated by reflection or reverberation from some obstructing surface; sound heard again at its source; repercussion of sound: as, an echo from a distant hill. Sound being produced by waves or pulses of the air, when such waves meet an opposing surface, as a wall, they are reflected like light-waves (see reflection); the sound so heard, as if originating behind the reflecting surface, is an echo. The echo of a sound returns to the point whence the sound originated if the reflecting surface is at right angles to a line drawn to it from that point. An oblique surface reflects the sound in another direction, so that it may be heard elsewhere, though not at the point where the sound originated. If the direct and reflected sounds succeed one another with great rapidity, which happens when the reflecting surface is near, the echo only clouds the original sound, but is not heard distinctly; and it is such indistinct echoes that interfere with the hearing in churches and other large buildings. An interval of about one ninth of a second is necessary to discriminate two successive sounds; and as sound passes through the atmosphere at the rate of about 1,125 feet in a second, of 1,125, or about 62 feet, will be the least distance at which an echo can be heard; and this will be distinct only in the case of a sharp, sudden sound. The walls of a house or the ramparts of a city, the surface of a cloud, a wood, rocks, mountains, and valleys produce echoes. Some echoes are remarkable for their frequency of repetition, and are called multiple or tautological echoes.
2. n. [capitalized] In classical mythology, an oread or mountain nymph, who, according to a usual form of the myth, pined away for love of the beautiful youth Narcissus till nothing remained of her but her voice.
3. n. Figuratively, a repetition of the sentiments of others; reproduction of the ideas or opinions of others, either in speech or in writing.
4. n. In music, the very soft repetition of a short phrase, particularly in orchestral or organ music. In large organs an echo-organ is sometimes provided for echo-like effects; it consists of pipes shut up in a tight box, or removed to a distance from the organ proper, and controlled by a separate keyboard or by separate stops. A single stop so used or placed is called an echo-stop.
5. n. In architecture, a wall or vault, etc., having the property of reflecting sounds or of producing an echo.
6. n. [capitalized] [NL.] In zoology, a genus of neuropterous insects.
7. To emit an echo; reflect or repeat sound; give forth an answering sound by or as if by echo.
8. To be reflected or repeated by or as if by echo; return or be conveyed to the ear in repetition; pass along by reverberation.
9. To produce a reverberating sound; give out a loud sound.
10. To emit an echo of; reflect the sound of, either directly or obliquely; cause to be heard by reverberation: as the whispering gallery of St. Paul's in London echoes very faint sounds.
11. To repeat as if by way of echo; emit a reproduction of, as sounds, words, or sentiments; imitate the sound or significance of.
12. To imitate as an echo; repeat or reproduce the sounds, utterances, or sentiments of: as, the mocking-bird echoes nearly all other creatures; to echo a popular author.
13. n. In whist, a response to a partner's signal for trumps.
14. n. In bridge, a method of showing the leader how many cards his partner holds in the suit led, or of indicating that the third hand can trump the third round. The first is called the plain-suit echo, the second the down-and-out echo.
15. In bridge, to show the leader how many cards the third hand holds in the suit led.

Wiktionary

1. n. A reflected sound that is heard again by its initial observer.
2. n. : The displaying on the command line of the command that has just been executed.
3. n. The letter E in the ICAO spelling alphabet.
4. v. To reflect off of a surface and return to someone who has heard it already.
5. v. To repeat back precisely what another has just said: to copy in the imitation of a natural echo.
6. v. To repeat (another's speech, opinion, etc.).

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A sound reflected from an opposing surface and repeated to the ear of a listener; repercussion of sound; repetition of a sound.
2. n. Fig.: Sympathetic recognition; response; answer.
3. n. A wood or mountain nymph, regarded as repeating, and causing the reverberation of them.
4. n. A nymph, the daughter of Air and Earth, who, for love of Narcissus, pined away until nothing was left of her but her voice.
5. n. A signal, played in the same manner as a trump signal, made by a player who holds four or more trumps (or as played by some exactly three trumps) and whose partner has led trumps or signaled for trumps.
6. n. A signal showing the number held of a plain suit when a high card in that suit is led by one's partner.
7. v. To send back (a sound); to repeat in sound; to reverberate.
8. v. To repeat with assent; to respond; to adopt.
9. v. To give an echo; to resound; to be sounded back.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. call to mind
2. v. ring or echo with sound
3. n. a reply that repeats what has just been said
4. n. the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves
5. v. to say again or imitate
6. n. a close parallel of a feeling, idea, style, etc.
7. n. a reflected television or radio or radar beam
8. n. (Greek mythology) a nymph who was spurned by Narcissus and pined away until only her voice remained
9. n. an imitation or repetition