reverberate
/ɹəˈvɜɹbəˌɹeɪt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.29 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
4
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To cause (a sound) to be (repeatedly) bounced against one or more surfaces; to re-echo.
Transitive verb
verb
Followed by on (to): to deflect or divert (flames, heat, etc.) on to something.
Transitive verb
verb
To heat (something) by deflecting flames on to, or passing flames over, it.
Archaic; Transitive verb
verb
To drive, force, or push (someone or something) back; to repel, to repulse.
Obsolete; Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "[N]o man is the Lord of any thing: / Though in and of him there be much conſiſting, / Till he communicate his parts to others, / Nor doth hee of himſelfe knovv them for aught: / Till he behold them formed in the applauſe. / VVhere th'are extended: vvho like an arch reuerb'rate / The voice againe or like a gate of ſteele: / Fronting the Sunne, receiues and renders back / His figure and his heate."
- "[S]oundes doe riſe / By mens force vnder feete, vvounded vvith noyſe / The hilles to heav'n reverberate their voyce."
- "[W]hatſoever is moved is a body, but Voice is moved and reverberated from ſmooth places, as a ball againſt a VVall. So in the Ægyptian Pyramids, one Voice is redoubled four or five times."
- "[T]he corridor along which we were passing was built above these cloisters, and their hollow arches seemed to reverberate every footfall."
- "[T]he guide took a large cannon-ball, and sent it, with his whole force, rolling down the hollow, arched way, rumbling and reverberating and bellowing forth long thunderous echoes, and winding up with a loud, distant crash, that seemed to come from the very bowels of the earth."
- "They sat about in black and shiny and flouncey clothing adorned with gimp and beads, eating great quantities of cake, drinking much tea in a stately manner and reverberating remarks."
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin reverberātus, perfect passive participle of reverberō (“to rebound; to reflect; to repel”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), whence Middle French reverberer (French réverbérer) and Middle English reverberen (“to send back”)), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) and verberō (“to beat; to lash, whip”) (from verber (“rod; lash, whip”) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)).
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *werbʰ-, reverberātus
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɹəˈvɜɹbəˌɹeɪt/
- British English: /ɹɪˈvɜːbəˌɹeɪt/
Usage
Inflected Forms
reverberates (present, singular)
reverberating (participle, present)
reverberated (participle, past)
reverberated (past)
no-table-tags (table tags)
glossary (inflection template)
reverberated (first person, past)
reverberatest (archaic, present)
reverberated (past, second person)
reverberatedst (archaic, past)
reverberateth (archaic, present)
reverberated (past, singular)