repeat

To say or do something again.

• Please repeat the question.
• We repeated the experiment three times.
• Can you repeat those instructions more slowly?

How to use it: repeat something to someone (She repeated the message to her brother.); repeat after someone (Please repeat after me.)

Similar words: redo, do again, say again

Common phrases: repeat a question, repeat an experiment, repeat after someone

To say again something you have already said.

• Please do not repeat yourself.
• He repeated himself because nobody was listening.
• Am I repeating myself, or have I never told you this?

How to use it: repeat oneself (She often repeats herself when she is tired.)

Common phrases: repeat yourself, repeat myself

To happen again, often in the same way.

• The pattern repeats every minute.
• This problem has repeated several times.
• History can repeat itself if we ignore its lessons.

Similar words: recur

Common phrases: repeat itself, repeat endlessly, repeat every day

To order another round of artillery fire using the previous firing instructions, with any requested changes.

• Repeat the fire mission.
• The officer ordered the battery to repeat.
• Adjust fifty metres left and repeat on the target.

Common phrases: repeat fire mission, repeat on target

Something that happens, is done, or is shown again.

• This programme is a repeat.
• We want to avoid a repeat of that mistake.
• They showed three repeats of the comedy last week.

How to use it: a repeat of something (Nobody wants a repeat of last winter’s delays.)

Similar words: repetition, rerun

Common phrases: a repeat performance, repeat of something, watch a repeat

A written sign that tells you to play a section of music again.

• There is a repeat at the end.
• Play from the beginning when you reach the repeat.
• The pianist missed both repeats in the score.

Similar words: repeat mark

Common phrases: repeat sign, marked repeat, follow the repeat