answer back
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See also: answerback
English[edit]
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb[edit]
answer back (third-person singular simple present answers back, present participle answering back, simple past and past participle answered back)
- (transitive, intransitive) To reply impertinently to (someone); to talk back.
- I'll thank you not to answer back like that! Where are your manners?
- She answered him back rudely.
- To reply to a question from (someone) at a later time.
- Please answer me back before the end of the week.
- (computing) To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.
Usage notes[edit]
- In all senses the object (if mentioned) may appear before or after the particle. If the object is a pronoun, then it must be before the particle.
Translations[edit]
to reply impertinently; to talk back