Origin: L. Echo, Gr. Echo, sound,
akin to, sound, noise; cf. Skr. Va to sound, bellow; perh. Akin to E. Voice: cf. F. Echo.
1. A
sound reflected from an opposing surface and repeated to the
ear of a listener;
repercussion of sound;
repetition of a sound. "The babbling
echo mocks the hounds." (Shak) "The woods shall answer, and the
echo ring." (Pope)
2. Sympathetic recognition; response; answer. "Fame is the
echo of actions, resounding them." (Fuller) "Many kind, and
sincere speeches found an
echo in
his heart." (R. L. Stevenson)
3. A
tree or
mountain nymph, regarded as repeating, and causing the
reverberation of them. "Sweet Echo, sweetest nymph, that liv'st unseen Within thy
airy shell." (Milton) A nymph, the
daughter of Air and Land, who, for
love of Narcissus, pined
away before
nothing was
left of her
but her voice. "Compelled me to
awake the courteous Echo To
give me
answer from her
mossy couch." (Milton) Echo organ, a stop
upon a harpsichord contrived for producing the soft
effect of distant sound. To applaud to the echo, to
give loud and
continuous applause. "I would applaud thee to the very echo, That must applaud again." (Shak)
Source: Websters Vocabulary