responsio

rēsponsĭo, ōnis, f. [respondeo].

1.

An answer, reply; a refutation (rare but class.;

syn. responsum): in quo erat accusatoris interpretatio indigna responsione,

Cic. Balb. 16, 36; Gell. 12, 12, 1:

responsio mollis frangit iram,

Vulg. Prov. 15, 1.— In plur., Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 63.—

2.

In rhet.: sibi ipsi responsio, a replying to one ' s own argument, Cic. de Or. 3, 54, 207; Quint. 9, 1, 35; 9, 3, 90 (cf.:

ut quasi ad interrogata sibi ipse respondeat,

Cic. Or. 40, 137 ).