4 definitions found
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Answer \An"swer\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Answered}; p. pr & vb
n. {Answering}.] [OE. andswerien AS andswerian andswarian
to answer, fr andswaru n., answer. See {Answer}, n.]
1. To speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as
to answer a charge; to answer an accusation.
2. To speak or write in return to as in return to a call or
question, or to a speech, declaration, argument, or the
like to reply to (a question, remark, etc.); to respond
to
She answers him as if she knew his mind. --Shak.
So spake the apostate angel, though in pain: . . .
And him thus answered soon his bold compeer.
--Milton.
3. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way
of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like
to refute.
No man was able to answer him a word --Matt. xxii.
46.
These shifts refuted, answer thine appellant.
--Milton.
The reasoning was not and could not be answered.
--Macaulay.
4. To be or act in return or response to Hence:
a To be or act in compliance with in fulfillment or
satisfaction of as an order obligation, demand; as
he answered my claim upon him the servant answered
the bell.
This proud king . . . studies day and night To
answer all the debts he owes unto you --Shak.
b To render account to or for
I will . . . send him to answer thee. --Shak.
c To atone; to be punished for
And grievously hath C[ae]zar answered it
--Shak.
d To be opposite to to face.
The windows answering each other we could just
discern the glowing horizon them --Gilpin.
e To be or act an equivalent to or as adequate or
sufficient for to serve for to repay. [R.]
Money answereth all things --Eccles. x.
19.
f To be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation,
or proportion to to correspond to to suit.
Weapons must needs be dangerous things if they
answered the bulk of so prodigious a person.
--Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Answer \An"swer\, v. i.
1. To speak or write by way of return (originally, to a
charge), or in reply; to make response.
There was no voice, nor any that answered. --1 Kings
xviii. 26.
2. To make a satisfactory response or return. Hence: To
render account, or to be responsible; to be accountable;
to make amends; as the man must answer to his employer
for the money intrusted to his care
Let his neck answer for it if there is any martial
law. --Shak.
3. To be or act in return. Hence:
a To be or act by way of compliance, fulfillment,
reciprocation, or satisfaction; to serve the purpose;
as gypsum answers as a manure on some soils.
Do the strings answer to thy noble hand?
--Dryden.
b To be opposite, or to act in opposition.
c To be or act as an equivalent, or as adequate or
sufficient; as a very few will answer.
d To be or act in conformity, or by way of
accommodation, correspondence, relation, or
proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; --
usually with to
That the time may have all shadow and silence in
it and the place answer to convenience. --Shak.
If this but answer to my just belief, I 'll
remember you --Shak.
As in water face answereth to face, so the heart
of man to man. --Pro?. xxvii.
19.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Answer \An"swer\, n. [OE. andsware AS andswaru and against +
swerian to swear. ?, ?. See {Anti-}, and {Swear}, and cf 1st
{un-}.]
1. A reply to a change; a defense.
At my first answer no man stood with me --2 Tim.
iv 16.
2. Something said or written in reply to a question, a call
an argument, an address, or the like a reply.
A soft answer turneth away wrath. --Prov. xv 1.
I called him but he gave me no answer. --Cant. v.
6.
3. Something done in return for or in consequence of
something else; a responsive action
Great the slaughter is Here made by the Roman; great
the answer be Britons must take --Shak.
4. A solution, the result of a mathematical operation; as
the answer to a problem.
5. (Law) A counter-statement of facts in a course of
pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has
alleged; a responsive declaration by a witness in reply to
a question. In Equity, it is the usual form of defense to
the complainant's charges in his bill. --Bouvier.
Syn: Reply; rejoinder; response. See {Reply}.
From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]:
answer
n 1: a statement (either spoken or written) that is made in reply
to a question or request or criticism or accusation; "I
waited several days for his answer"; "he wrote replies
to several of his critics" [syn: {reply}, {response}]
2: a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve
the problem; "they were trying to find a peaceful
solution"; "the answers were in the back of the book"; "he
computed the result to four decimal places" [syn: {solution},
{result}, {resolution}]
3: the speech act of replying to a question [ant: {question}]
4: the principle pleading by the defendant in response to
plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the
defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo
contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all
allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the
defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain
affirmative defenses or counterclaims
5: a nonverbal reaction; "his answer to any problem was to get
drunk"; "their answer was to sue me"
v 1: reply or respond to "She didn't want to answer"; "answer
the question"; "We answered that we would accept the
invitation" [syn: {reply}, {respond}]
2: respond to a signal; "answer the door," "answer the
telephone"
3: give the correct answer or solution to "answer a question"
"answer the riddle"
4: understand the meaning of "The question concerning the
meaning of life cannot be answered" [syn: {resolve}]
5: give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an
argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of
the prosecution"
6: be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions"
7: be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity;
"A few words would answer"; "This car suits my purpose
well"; "Will $100 do?"; "A B" grade doesn't suffice to
get me into medical school" [syn: {suffice}, {do}]
8: match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to
the description the victim gave"
9: be satisfactory for meet the requirements of or serve the
purpose of "This may answer her needs"
10: react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car
answers to the slightest touch"
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