{ } n. The act of responding; the state of being respondent; an answering. A. Chalmers. [ 1913 Webster ]

The angelical soft trembling voice made
To the instruments divine respondence meet. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. respondens, p. pr. of respondere. ] Disposed or expected to respond; answering; according; corresponding. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wealth respondent to payment and contributions. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. répondant. ] One who responds. It corresponds in general to defendant. Specifically: (a) (Law) One who answers in certain suits or proceedings, generally those which are not according to the course of the common law, as in equity and admiralty causes, in petitions for partition, and the like; -- distinquished from appellant. (b) One who maintains a thesis in reply, and whose province it is to refute objections, or overthrow arguments; -- distinguished from opponent. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. See Respondence. ] (Commercial Law) A loan upon goods laden on board a ship. It differs from bottomry, which is a loan on the ship itself. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]