answer back

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answer back (third-person singular simple present answers back, present participle answering back, simple past and past participle answered back)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To reply impertinently to (someone); to talk back.

   I'll thank you not to answer back like that! Where are your manners?

   She answered him back rudely.

2. To reply to a question from (someone) at a later time.

   Please answer me back before the end of the week.

3. (computing) To issue echo characters, protocol responses, reflexive connection requests, etc.

• In all senses the object (if mentioned) may appear before or after the particle. If the object is a pronoun, then it must be before the particle.

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