reciprocate

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: re=cip=ro=cate

CIDE DICTIONARY

reciprocate, v. i. [L. reciprocatus, p. p. of reciprocare. See Reciprocal.].

 To move forward and backward alternately; to recur in vicissitude; to act interchangeably; to alternate.  [1913 Webster]
"One brawny smith the puffing bellows plies,
And draws and blows reciprocating air."  [1913 Webster]

Reciprocating engine, a steam, air, or gas engine, etc., in which the piston moves back and forth; -- in distinction from a rotary engine, in which the piston travels continuously in one direction in a circular path. -- Reciprocating motion (Mech.), motion alternately backward and forward, or up and down, as of a piston rod.

reciprocate, v. t. 

 To give and return mutually; to make return for; to give in return; to interchange; to alternate; as, to reciprocate favors.  Cowper.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

reciprocate, v.
1 tr. return or requite (affection etc.).
2 intr. (foll. by with) offer or give something in return (reciprocated with an invitation to lunch).
3 tr. give and receive mutually; interchange.
4 a intr. (of a part of a machine) move backwards and forwards. b tr. cause to do this.

Idiom

reciprocating engine an engine using a piston or pistons moving up and down in cylinders.

Derivative

reciprocation n. reciprocator n.

Etymology

L reciprocare reciprocat- (as RECIPROCAL)

THESAURUS

reciprocate

accord, act in concert, act together, affiliate, agree, agree with, ally, alternate, amalgamate, answer, answer to, associate, back and fill, band, band together, bandy, battledore and shuttlecock, be in league, be quits with, change, chime in with, club together, coact, coalesce, coequal, collaborate, collude, combine, come and go, come back at, commute, compensate, complement, concert, concord, concur, confederate, consolidate, conspire, cooperate, correspond, correspond to, cotton to, counter, counterchange, do business with, ebb and flow, empathize, equal, exchange, fall in with, federate, fuse, get along, get along with, get back at, get even with, get heads together, get on with, get together, give and take, give in exchange, give in return, go partners, hang together, harmonize, harmonize with, hit back at, hitch and hike, hold together, hook up, identify with, interchange, join, join in, join together, keep together, league, league together, logroll, make common cause, match, merge, partner, pass and repass, pay back, permute, play ball, pull together, put heads together, recompense, repay, requite, respond, respond to, retaliate, retort, return, return the compliment, ride and tie, seesaw, shuttle, shuttlecock, sing in chorus, stand together, strike back, swap, swing, switch, sympathize, team up, teeter, teeter-totter, throw in together, tie in, tie up, to-and-fro, trade, transpose, understand one another, unite, unite efforts, wax and wane, wibble-wabble, wigwag, work together, zigzag

ROGET THESAURUS

reciprocate

Correlation

VB reciprocate, alternate, interchange, exchange, counterchange.

Concord

VB agree, accord, harmonize with, fraternize, be concordant, go hand in hand, run parallel, understand one another, pull together, put up one's horses together, sing in chorus, side with, sympathize with, go with, chime in with, fall in with, come round, be pacified, assent, empathize with, enter into the ideas of, enter into the feelings of, reciprocate, hurler avec les loups, go with the stream, swim with the stream, keep in good humor, render accordant, put in tune, come to an understanding, meet halfway, keep the peace, remain at peace, be harmonious, harmonize, chime, symphonize, transpose, put in tune, tune, accord, string.

Retaliation

VB retaliate, retort, turn upon, pay, pay off, pay back, pay in one's own coin, pay in the same coin, cap, reciprocate, turn the tables upon, return the compliment, give a quid pro quo, give as much as one takes, give as good as one gets, give and take, exchange fisticuffs, be quits, be even with, pay off old scores, serve one right, be hoist on one's own petard, throw a stone in one's own garden, catch a Tartar.

Interchange

VB interchange, exchange, counterchange, bandy, transpose, shuffle, change bands, swap, permute, reciprocate, commute, give and take, return the compliment, play at puss in the corner, play at battledore and shuttlecock, retaliate, requite, rearrange, recombine.

Assent

VB assent, give assent, yield assent, nod assent, acquiesce, agree, receive, accept, accede, accord, concur, lend oneself to, consent, coincide, reciprocate, go with, be at one with, go along with, chime in with, strike in with, close in with, echo, enter into one's views, agree in opinion, vote, give one's voice for, recognize, subscribe to, conform to, defer to, say yes to, say ditto, amen to, say aye to, acknowledge, own, admit, allow, avow, confess, concede, come round to, abide by, permit, arrive at an understanding, come to an understanding, come to terms, come to an agreement, confirm, affirm, ratify, appprove, indorse, countersign, corroborate, go with the stream, swim with the stream, go with the flow, blow with the wind, be in fashion, join in the chorus, join the crowd, be one of the guys, be part of the group, go with the crowd, don't make waves, be in every mouth.