rə̇ˈsiprəˌkāt, rēˈ-, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin reciprocatus, past participle of reciprocare to move back and forth, to reciprocate, from reciprocus alternating — more at reciprocal
transitive verb
1. : to give and take reciprocally : exchange mutually : interchange
the two countries reciprocated pledges of friendship
2. : to cause to move in alternate directions
3. : to return in kind or degree : respond in like measure to : repay
reciprocate the compliments just paid them — J.G.Cozzens
is peevish and sensitive when his advances are not reciprocated — G.B.Shaw
intransitive verb
1. : to make a return for something done, given, or said
hope in a few days to reciprocate for your verses by sending you a few remarks — O.W.Holmes †1935
2. : to move forward and backward alternately usually in a straight line
a tiny knife reciprocating rapidly up and down — J.V.A.Long
3. : to be equivalent or correspondent
Synonyms:
reciprocate , retaliate , requite , and return can mean to give back usually in kind or in quantity. reciprocate can imply a mutual, equivalent or roughly equivalent, exchange or a paying back of what one has received
the love of Lavinia for the hero, most correctly reciprocated by him — H.O.Taylor
touched his friend's glass lightly and reciprocated the former toast — James Joyce
a man for whom he has an intense and growing dislike, which the other reciprocated — Times Literary Supplement
bringing their rude gifts of mussels and wild seeds, which were always reciprocated with beads and some of our food — Francisco Palou
retaliate usually implies a paying back in exact kind, often vengefully
considers the possibility of revenge, of retaliating on those who have injured him — J.W.Krutch
our need to protect ourselves from military attack and to retaliate in case an enemy dared to attack us — Mary Gregoire
retaliate, blow for blow
requite can imply simply a paying back usually reciprocally, but also often implies a paying back according to what one considers the merits of the case
requite a friend's love
face every danger rather than requite with ingratitude and treachery the devoted attachment of the Western peasantry — T.B.Macaulay
hospitality should be requited in kind — Agnes M. Miall
requited their hospitality by robbing them of much of their supplies — American Guide Series: Maine
return usually implies only a giving back in return
return a social call
return good for evil