Answer

(ăn'ser), v. t. [imp. & p. p. ANSWERED; p. pr. & vb. n. ANSWERING.] [A.-S. andswarjan, answarjan, onswarjan, geandswarjan, to answer, from and, against, and swearjan, to affirm; swearjan, to swear. Cf. A.-S. and-wyrd, Goth. andawaurd, andawaurdi, Ger. ant-wort, answer.]

1Sense 1. 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 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.

2Sense 2. In an intensive use, 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.

3Sense 3. To be or act in return to. Hence, (a.) To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, demand, and the like; as, he answered my claim upon him; the servant answered the bell; this does not answer the purpose.

This proud king . . . studies day and night. To answer all the debt he owes unto you. Shak.

(b.) To atone for; to be punished for.

And grievously hath Caesar answered it. Shak.

(c.) To be opposite to; to face.

The windows answering each other, we could just discern the glowing horizon through them. Gilpin.

(d.) To be or act as an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for. [Obs. or rare.]

Money answereth all things. Eccles. x. 19.

(e.) 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.

(f.) To render account to or for.

I will . . . send him to answer thee. Shak.

(ân'ser), v. i. 1. To speak or write by way of return, or in reply; to make response. There was no voice, nor any that answered. I Kings xviii. 26. 2. To make a satisfactory response or return; hence, to render account, or to be responsible; as, the man must answer to his employer for the money intrusted to his care. Let his neck answer for it, if there be 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; 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 suit. That the time may have all shadow and silence in it, and the place answer to convenience. Shak. If this but answers to my just belief, I'll well remember you. Shak. As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. Prov. xxvii. 19.