re·ply / riˈplī/ • v. (-plies, -plied) say something in response to something someone has said: [intr.] he was gone before we could reply to his last remark | she replied that she had been sound asleep | [with direct speech] “I'm OK—just leave me alone,” he replied. ∎  [intr.] write back to someone one has received a letter from: she replied with a long letter the next day. ∎  [intr.] respond by a similar action or gesture: they replied to the shelling with a heavy mortar attack on the area.• n. (pl. -plies) a verbal or written answer: I received a reply from the firm's managing director “No,” was the curt reply. ∎  the action of answering someone or something: I am writing in reply to your letter of June 1. ∎  a response in the form of a gesture, action, or expression: we scored the first goal and they hit a late reply. ∎  Law a plaintiff's response to the defendant's plea.DERIVATIVES: re·pli·er n.

REPLY

Thepleadingin which a plaintiff responds to the defendant's demand for relief asserted in a set-off or counterclaim.

In most states and in the federal courts, a reply is permitted only when the defendant has specifically made a properly labeled counter-claim or when the court orders the plaintiff to file a formal response to an answer.