rejoinder

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

rejoinder
    n 1: a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty
         or critical one); "it brought a sharp rejoinder from the
         teacher" [syn: {rejoinder}, {retort}, {return}, {riposte},
         {replication}, {comeback}, {counter}]
    2: (law) a pleading made by a defendant in response to the
       plaintiff's replication

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rejoinder \Re*join"der\ (-d?r), n. [From F. rejoindre, inf., to
   join again. See {Rejoin}.]
   1. An answer to a reply; or, in general, an answer or reply.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Law) The defendant's answer to the plaintiff's
      replication.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Reply; answer; replication. See {Reply}.
        [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Rejoinder \Re*join"der\, v. i.
   To make a rejoinder. [Archaic]
   [1913 Webster]

from Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

REJOINDER, pleadings. The name of the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's 
replication. 
     2. The general requisites of a rejoinder are, 1. It must be triable. 2. 
It must not be double, nor will several rejoinders be allowed to the same 
declaration. 3. It must be certain. 4. It must be direct and positive, and 
not merely by way of recital or argumentative. 5. it must not be repugnant 
or insensible. 6. It must be conformable to, and not depart from the plea. 
Co. Litt. 304; 6 Com. Dig. 185 Archb. Civ. Pl. 278; U. S. Dig, Pleading, 
XIII.

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

48 Moby Thesaurus words for "rejoinder":
      acknowledgment, answer, answering, antiphon, back answer,
      back talk, backchat, comeback, confutation, contraremonstrance,
      counteraccusation, counterblast, countercharge, counterclaim,
      counterreply, counterstatement, defense, echo, evasive reply,
      reaction, ready reply, rebuttal, rebutter, receipt, refutation,
      repartee, replication, reply, repost, rescript, rescription,
      respond, respondence, response, responsion, responsory, retort,
      return, reverberation, riposte, short answer, snappy comeback,
      surrebuttal, surrebutter, surrejoinder, witty reply, witty retort,
      yes-and-no answer

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