I. ˈe(ˌ)kō noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English ecco, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French echo, from Latin, from Greek ēchō; akin to Latin vagire to cry (said of a child), Greek ēchē, ēchos, sound, and perhaps Sanskrit vagnu sound, cry
1. : the repetition of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves : the sound due to such reflection
2.
a. : a repetition or imitation (as of the style or ideas) of another : reflection
you catch the echo everywhere of this strong sense of purpose — Joseph Alsop
containing strong echoes from the work of older and greater poets
: repercussion , result
the economic collapse had dangerous political echoes
: survival , trace , vestige
echoes of an older culture linger in the area
: response
his appeal would find a sympathetic echo in most minds — Roger Fry
b. : one who closely imitates or repeats another's words, ideas, or acts
the minister may … become a pious echo of their opinions — W.L.Sperry
3. : the repetition of a sound, syllable, word, or phrase for rhetorical or poetic purposes ; especially : repetition in imitation of an echo popular in 16th and 17th century poetry at the end of a line or stanza — see echo verse
4.
a. : a soft repetition of a musical phrase
b. : echo organ
c. : echo stop
d. : a mute used to soften and modify the tone of brass wind instruments
5.
a. : a signal in whist play in response to a signal given by one's partner ; specifically : the trump signal by a player whose partner has previously given the trump signal
b. : the play or discard in bridge of an unnecessarily high card followed by a lower one — compare high-low
6.
a. : the repetition of a received radio signal a perceptible time after the signal is first received due to the travel of the radio waves over a path (as the indirect path when the waves are reflected from an ionized layer of the atmosphere) other than the most direct path between transmitter and receiver
b.
(1) : the reflection of transmitted radar signals by an object
(2) : the visual indication of this reflection as seen on a radarscope : blip , pip
•
- to the echo
II. “, in pres part “ or ˈekəw verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to resound with echoes
woods echoing with the chopping of axes
: produce echoes or become repeated by echoes
the sound of battle echoed over all the hills — Farley Mowat
b. : to repeat like an echo
“a fine life”, he said … “a fine life”, he echoed, drowsily — Laura Krey
2. : repeat
a theme which echoes throughout the novel — Ruth Suckow
: become reflected or fine renewed expression
the effects of this revolutionary change still echo throughout human anatomy and physiology — Weston La Barre
3. : to make an echo in a game of cards (as bridge)
transitive verb
1. : repeat , imitate
echoing the words and ideas of his famous father
cushions in faint colors that echo the carpet — Rumer Godden
2. : to send back or repeat (a sound) by the reflection of sound waves
III. ˈe(ˌ)kō
Usage: usually capitalized
— a communications code word for the letter e