|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
echo
ech·o / ˈekō/ • n. (pl. ech·oes) 1. a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener: the walls threw back the echoes of his footsteps. ∎ a reflected radio or radar beam. ∎ the deliberate introduction of reverberation into a sound recording. ∎ Linguistics the repetition in structure and content of one speaker's utterance by another. ∎ a close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event: his love for her found an echo in her own feelings. ∎ (often echoes) a detail or characteristic that is suggestive of something else: the cheese has a sharp rich aftertaste with echoes of salty, earthy pastures. 2. Bridge a play by a defender of a higher card in a suit followed by a lower one in a subsequent trick, used as a signal to request a further lead of that suit by their partner. 3. a code word representing the letter E, used in radio communication. • v. (ech·oes, ech·oed) [intr.] 1. (of a sound) be repeated or reverberate after the original sound has stopped: their footsteps echoed on the metal catwalks. ∎ (of a place) resound with or reflect back a sound or sounds: the house echoed with shouts and thundering feet. ∎ fig. have a continued significance or influence: illiteracy echoed through the whole fabric of society. ∎ [tr.] (often be echoed) repeat (someone's words or opinions), typically to express agreement: these criticisms are echoed in a number of other studies ∎ [tr.] Comput. send a copy of (an input signal or character) back to its source or to a screen for display: for security reasons, the password will not be echoed to the screen. 2. Bridge (of a defender) play a higher card followed by a lower one in the same suit, as a signal to request one's partner to lead that suit. DERIVATIVES: ech·o·er n. ech·o·ey / ˈekō-ē/ adj. |
|
|
Cite this article
"echo." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "echo." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-echo005.html "echo." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-echo005.html |
|
echo
echo
1. The reflection of transmitted data back to its source (or, as a verb, to reflect transmitted data back to its source). For example, characters typed on the keyboard of a data terminal (connected to a computer) will not appear on the display of the terminal unless they are echoed. The echoing process may be done locally by the terminal itself, by a modem, or by an intervening communication processor. Echoing may also be done by the computer to which the terminal is attached. If the terminal itself echoes the characters, it is often said to be in half-duplex mode, although the term local-echo mode would be more accurate. In full-duplex character-at-a-time transmission, echoing is generally done at the computer, thus permitting certain application programs, such as editors, to determine whether or not incoming characters should be echoed. Half-duplex and/or line-at-a-time transmission generally implies local echoing. 2. A phenomenon in voice circuits (e.g. telephone circuits) that upsets the operation of modems. Most modems therefore incorporate echo suppression. |
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN DAINTITH. "echo." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "echo." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-echo.html JOHN DAINTITH. "echo." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-echo.html |
|
Echo
EchoIn Greek mythology Echo was a mountain nymph who annoyed Hera, queen of the gods, by talking to her constantly. Echo's chatter distracted Hera and prevented her from discovering the love affairs of her husband, Zeus *. As punishment, Hera took away Echo's power of speech so that she could say nothing except the last words spoken by someone else. nymph minor goddess of nature, usually represented as young and beautiful Other myths tell of Echo's falling in love with Narcissus, the handsome son of a river god. However, Narcissus rejected Echo because she could only repeat his words. She was so upset that she faded away until only her voice was heard as an echo. Another myths states that Pan, god of the woods, pursued Echo but that she escaped him by running away. The angry Pan caused some shepherds to go mad and tear Echo apart, leaving nothing but her voice to echo through the mountains. Ovid's Metamorphoses * and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet both include passages about Echo. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Echo." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Echo." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900171.html "Echo." Myths and Legends of the World. 2001. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3490900171.html |
|
Echo
Echo in Greek mythology, mountain nymph. She assisted Zeus in one of his amorous adventures by distracting Hera with her chatter. For this Hera made her unable to speak except to repeat another's last words. She fell in love with Narcissus, but when he rejected her, she pined away until only her voice remained. In another myth, she was loved by Pan, who, because he could not win her, caused shepherds to tear her asunder; Gaea buried her limbs, leaving only her voice. |
|
|
Cite this article
"Echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Echo.html "Echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Echo.html |
|
echo
echo reflection of a sound wave back to its source in sufficient strength and with a sufficient time lag to be separately distinguished. If a sound wave returns within 1/10 sec, the human ear is incapable of distinguishing it from the orginal one. Thus, since the velocity of sound is c.344 m (1,130 ft) per sec at a normal room temperature of about 20°C (68°F), a reflecting wall must be more than 16.2 m (56 1/2 ft) from the sound source at this temperature for an echo to be heard by a person at the source. In this case the sound requires 1/20 sec to reach the reflecting surface and the same time to return. Bats navigate by listening for the echo of their high-frequency cry. Sonar and depth sounders work by analyzing electronically the echo time lag of sound waves, generally between 10 and 50 kilohertz, produced by underwater transducers. Radar sets broadcast radio waves, usually between 100 and 10,000 megahertz, pick up the portion reflected back by objects, and electronically determine the distance and direction of the objects. A sound echo that is reflected again and again from different surfaces, as by parallel walls in a tunnel, is called reverberation. When a surface reflects sound it partially absorbs and partially reflects the energy. As the process is repeated the sound becomes weaker and weaker and eventually ceases. |
|
|
Cite this article
"echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-echo.html "echo." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-echo.html |
|
Echo
Echo ♀ In modern use, probably directly from the vocabulary word (Greek ēkhō, which reached English via Latin). In classical mythology, this was the name of a nymph who pined away with love for Narcissus until nothing remained except her disembodied voice. Although the Greek word purports to be derived from the name of the nymph, in fact the word is of Indo-European origin, and so the truth seems to be that the nymph was invented to explain the word.
|
|
|
Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Echo." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Echo." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Echo.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Echo." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Echo.html |
|
Echo
Echo in Greek mythology, a nymph deprived of speech by Hera in order to stop her chatter, and left able only to repeat what others had said; she fell in love with Narcissus, and on being rejected by him, wasted away with grief until there was nothing left of her but her voice. In another account she was vainly loved by the god Pan, who finally caused some shepherds to go mad and tear her to pieces; Earth hid the fragments, which could still imitate other sounds.
|
|
|
Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Echo." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Echo." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Echo.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Echo." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-Echo.html |
|
echo
echo sb. XIV. — (O)F. écho or L. ēchō — Gr. ēkhṓ (cf. ēkhḗ, êkhos noise), perh. rel. to OE. swōg noise.
Hence echo vb. XVI. echoic of the nature of echo, applied by J. A. H. Murray (1880) to words that are held to imitate sounds denoted by them. |
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "echo." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "echo." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-echo.html T. F. HOAD. "echo." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-echo.html |
|
echo
echo Reflected portion of a wave, such as sound or radar, from a surface so that it returns to the source and is heard after a short interval. High notes provide a better sound echo than low notes. Echoes are useful in navigation.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-echo.html "echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-echo.html |
|
Echo
|
|
|
Cite this article
"Echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Echo.html "Echo." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Echo.html |
|
echoing
echoing
1. The immediate notification to the operator of the current value of an input device. See also acknowledgment, prompt, feedback. 2. The process of reflecting data back to source. See echo. |
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN DAINTITH. "echoing." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN DAINTITH. "echoing." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-echoing.html JOHN DAINTITH. "echoing." A Dictionary of Computing. 2004. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O11-echoing.html |
|
Echo
Echo, Utah/USA A descriptive name taken from the name of the canyon.
|
|
|
Cite this article
JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Echo." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Echo." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Echo.html JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Echo." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Echo.html |
|
echo
echo
•tacho, taco, tobacco, wacko
•blanco, Franco
•churrasco, fiasco, Tabasco
•Arco, Gran Chaco, mako
•art deco, dekko, echo, Eco, El Greco, gecko, secco
•flamenco, Lysenko, Yevtushenko
•alfresco, fresco, Ionesco
•Draco, shako
•Biko, Gromyko, pekoe, picot, Puerto Rico, Tampico
•sicko, thicko, tricot, Vico
•ginkgo, pinko, stinko
•cisco, disco, Disko, Morisco, pisco, San Francisco
•zydeco • magnifico • calico • Jellicoe
•haricot • Jericho • Mexico • simpatico
•politico • portico
•psycho, Tycho
•Morocco, Rocco, sirocco, socko
•bronco
•Moscow, roscoe
•Rothko
•coco, cocoa, loco, moko, Orinoco, poco, rococo
•osso buco • Acapulco
•Cuzco, Lambrusco
•bucko, stucco
•bunco, junco, unco
•guanaco • Monaco • turaco • Turco
|
|
|
Cite this article
"echo." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "echo." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-echo.html "echo." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-echo.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
