to answer a letter, invitation, e-mail etc► reply to write a letter to someone who has written to you, or to someone who has put an advertisement in a newspaper: · I wrote to Franca three weeks ago but she hasn't replied yet.reply to: · Becky hasn't replied to our invitation, so I assume she isn't coming.
► answer if you answer a letter or advertisement, you write a letter to the person who has written it: · I got the job by answering an advertisement in the paper.· Miss Millar hired a secretary to answer her mail while she was on vacation.· Think carefully before answering that memo.
► write back to write a letter to someone who has written a letter to you: · Sara wrote asking if she could help, so I wrote back and said yes.write back to: · Josh, have you written back to Grandma yet?write somebody back American: · She didn't really expect him to write her back.
► acknowledge formal to write a letter telling someone that you have received a letter, parcel etc that they have sent you: · I have just sent off a letter acknowledging their message.acknowledge receipt of something (=officially acknowledge that you have received something): · Please acknowledge receipt of this document by signing and returning the enclosed form.
► RSVP/R.S.V.P. written please answer this invitation - used at the end of formal invitations when asking someone to say if they can definitely come to a wedding, formal dinner etc: · Dr Fischer requests your company at a dinner to celebrate his retirement at the Dorchester Hotel on November 30th at 10 pm. RSVP.
► in response/answer/reply to something if you say or do something in response to what someone has written, you say or do it as a way of answering their question, request, advertisement etc: · She said she'd come to the office in response to an ad she'd seen in the paper.· In answer to recent criticism the President has issued a statement explaining his policies.
used on invitations to ask someone to reply