/ rɪˈpiːt; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
SAY / WRITE AGAIN
1.
repeat (sth / yourself) to say or write sth again or more than once :
[ vn ]
to repeat a question
I'm sorry—could you repeat that?
She kept repeating his name softly over and over again.
The opposition have been repeating their calls for the president's resignation.
Do say if I'm repeating myself (= if I have already said this) .
[ v that ]
He's fond of repeating that the company's success is all down to him.
DO AGAIN
2.
[ vn ] to do or produce sth again or more than once :
to repeat a mistake / a process / an exercise
The treatment should be repeated every two to three hours.
They are hoping to repeat last year's victory.
These offers are unlikely to be repeated.
The programmes will be repeated next year.
to repeat the class / year / grade (= in a school, to take the class / year / grade again)
[ v ]
Lift and lower the right leg 20 times. Repeat with the left leg.
HAPPEN AGAIN
3.
repeat (itself) to happen more than once in the same way :
[ vn ]
History has a strange way of repeating itself.
[ v ]
a repeating pattern / design
WHAT SB ELSE SAID
4.
[ vn ] repeat sth (to sb) to tell sb sth that you have heard or been told by sb else :
I don't want you to repeat a word of this to anyone.
The rumour has been widely repeated in the press.
5.
repeat (sth) (after sb) to say sth that sb else has said, especially in order to learn it :
[ vn ]
Listen and repeat each sentence after me.
Can you repeat what I've just said word for word?
[ v speech ]
'Are you really sure?' she repeated.
OF FOOD
6.
[ v ] repeat (on sb) ( BrE , informal ) if food repeats , you can taste it for some time after you have eaten it :
Do you find that onions repeat on you?
FOR EMPHASIS
7.
used to emphasize sth that you have already said : [ v ]
The claims are, I repeat, totally unfounded.
[ vn ]
I am not, repeat not, travelling in the same car as him!
■ noun
1.
a television or radio programme that has been broadcast before :
'Is it a new series?' 'No, a repeat'.
2.
an event that is very similar to sth that happened before :
A repeat of the 1906 earthquake could kill up to 11 000 people.
She didn't want a repeat performance of what had happened the night before.
( business )
a repeat order (= for a further supply of the same goods)
3.
( music ) a passage that is repeated
••
WORD FAMILY
repeat verb noun
repeatable adjective (≠ unrepeatable )
repeated adjective
repetition noun
repetitive adjective
repetitious adjective
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French repeter , from Latin repetere , from re- back + petere seek.