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Reflect vs Reply - What's the difference?

reflect | reply |

In lang=en terms the difference between reflect and reply

is that reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc while reply is to repeat something back; to echo.

As verbs the difference between reflect and reply

is that reflect is to bend back (light, etc) from a surface while reply is (intransitive) to give a written or spoken response, especially to a question, request, accusation or criticism; to answer.

As a noun reply is

a written or spoken response; part of a conversation.

reflect

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
    The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
  • *
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize

    reply

    English

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (intransitive) To give a written or spoken response, especially to a question, request, accusation or criticism; to answer.
    • Please reply to my letter.
    "Sorry I'm late," replied the student.
    He replied that he was not sure.
  • To act or gesture in response.
    • Joanne replied to Pete's insult with a slap to his face.
  • * 1988 , Emmanuel Doe Ziorklui, Ghana: Nkrumah to Rawlings
    • It is a sound to be dreaded until you ascertain that it is being made by friendly forces; even then, your welcome to it must be tempered with some caution, because gunfire usually leads to replying gunfire
  • To repeat something back; to echo.

    • Synonyms

    * respond, answer, retort, answer back, react, rejoin, counter, return, revert, follow up, get back to

    Noun

    (replies)
  • A written or spoken response; part of a conversation.
  • Something given in reply.

    • Synonyms

    * answer, comeback, response, retort, return, account, rejoinder, riposte, reaction

    Anagrams

    * English reporting verbs 1000 English basic words