re·peat / riˈpēt/ • v. 1. say again something one has already said: [with direct speech] “Are you hurt?” he repeated | [tr.] Billy repeated his question | the landlady repeated that she was being very lenient with him. ∎  say again (something said or written by someone else): he repeated the words after me | she repeated what I'd said. ∎  (repeat oneself) say or do the same thing again. ∎  used for emphasis: force was not—repeat, not—to be used.2. [tr.] do (something) again, either once or a number of times: earlier experiments were to be repeated on a far larger scale | [as adj.] (repeated) there were repeated attempts to negotiate. ∎  broadcast (a television or radio program) again. ∎  undertake (a course or period of instruction) again: Mark had to repeat first and second grades. ∎  (repeat itself) occur again in the same way or form: I don't intend to let history repeat itself. ∎  [intr.] illegally vote more than once in an election. ∎  [intr.] attain a particular success or achievement again, esp. by winning a championship for the second consecutive time: the first team in nineteen years to repeat as NBA champions. ∎  [tr.] (of a watch or clock) strike (the last hour or quarter) over again when required.3. [intr.] (of food) be tasted intermittently for some time after being swallowed as a result of belching or indigestion: it sat rather uncomfortably on my stomach and repeated on me for hours.• n. an action, event, or other thing that occurs or is done again: the final will be a repeat of last year. ∎  a repeated broadcast of a television or radio program. ∎  [as adj.] occurring, done, or used more than once: a repeat prescription. ∎  a consignment of goods similar to one already received. ∎  a decorative pattern that is repeated uniformly over a surface. ∎  Mus. a passage intended to be repeated. ∎  a mark indicating this.DERIVATIVES: re·peat·a·bil·i·ty / riˌpētəˈbilətē/ n.re·peat·a·ble adj.re·peat·ed·ly adv.

repeat
A. say again XIV; say over, recite; say after another XVI;

B. return to, undergo again XV; do or perform again XVI. ME. repete — (O)F. répéter — L. repetere, f. RE- + petere aim at, seek.
Hence sb. †repeated word(s), refrain XV; repetition XVI. So repetition XVI. — (O)F. or L. repetitious XVII, repetitive XIX.