answer
/ˈɑːnsə
/noun
1A thing that is said, written, or done as a reaction to a question, statement, or situation: he knocked and entered without waiting for an answer I hurried along the passage in answer to the doorbell’s ring...
- How can these people give anything but the expected answers in such situations?
- The short answer is that this situation really has nothing to do with you.
- He was unprepared and without an answer, and the situation suddenly seemed awkward.
Synonyms
reply, response, rejoinder, return, reaction;
acknowledgement;
retort, riposte
informal comeback
1.1A thing written or said in reaction to a question in a test or quiz: write your answers on a postcard...
- Just answer the following question and write your answer on a postcard.
- She wrote ridiculous answers on a history test so she would get an F.
- Dyslexic people get more time, as they find it more difficult to read the question and write the answer.
1.2The correct solution to a question in a test or quiz: the answer is 280°...
- I loved the extra cross references, summaries, and test questions complete with the correct answers.
- This test gives you the correct answers after each question and teaches the tricks for answering smarter on the next test!
- Players are then tasked to pick the correct answer from a list of four potential solutions.
Synonyms
solution, explanation, resolution;
key
2A solution to a problem or dilemma: the answer to poverty and unemployment is a properly funded range of services...
- The smallpox dilemma has no simple answers, and making the correct decision may, literally, be a matter of life and death.
- I wish I could conclude this column with a conclusion, but there are no easy answers or solutions.
- There are no miracle solutions, no magical answers, no easy everybody-wins way out.
Synonyms
solution, remedy, way of solving the problem, way out
informal quick fix
3 [in singular] (answer to) A person or thing regarded as the equivalent to a better-known one from another place: the press called her Britain’s answer to Marilyn Monroe...
- The film has an amazing amount of high gloss energy, and it feels like an early '80s answer to A Hard Day's Night.
- Like the French Canadian answer to Sesame Street, Caillou intersperses animated stories with puppet shows and live-action shots of dancing kids.
- To me he is the British answer to Chekhov.
verb
1 [reporting verb] Say or write something as a reaction to someone or something: [with direct speech]: ‘Of course I can,’ she answered [with clause]: she answered that she would take nothing but the ring [with object]: she tried to answer his questions truthfully [no object]: Steve was about to answer, but Hazel spoke first...
- When nobody answered, he wrote on the board ‘unfair treatment’.
- ‘Well, Jason, it seems as if Miss Anders was one of the apartment owners,’ he answered, writing my name down on the pad of paper.
- That was a bit funny, and it was interesting to see people's reactions when she answered all the questions that were being thrown at her.
Synonyms
reply, respond, speak/say in response, make a rejoinder, rejoin;
retort, come back, fling back, hurl back;
acknowledge, write back
informal get back to
rare riposte
1.1 [with object] Provide the required response to (a question in a test or quiz): answer the questions below for a chance to win a holiday...
- As well as being a fascinating read, it is also a fantastic source of general knowledge and a great help in answering quiz questions and solving crossword puzzles.
- Many arrested serial killers took part in the test and answered the question correctly.
- I got exempted from a quiz just for answering a question and then in math, we were going to have a chapter test, but the teacher told us that she thought we were all ready to move on.
1.2 [no object] (answer back) Respond impudently or disrespectfully to someone, especially when being criticized or told to do something: I’d usually talk him round, but never answer back [with object]: Mary resisted the temptation to answer her mother back...
- No swearing, no talking in class, no answering back, no criticising the town or anyone in the town, just behave, please, Tenni, would you?
- Ryan opened his mouth to answer back again, but was interrupted by the arrival of his brother, who motioned me to follow him into Ryan's bedroom.
- That gets you starting to feel angry that she commented on you like that so openly, you open your mouth to answer back but then your parents come in.
Synonyms
respond cheekily to, be cheeky to, be impertinent to, talk back to;
contradict, argue with, disagree with;
retaliate, retort, counter
informal cheek
North American informal sass, be sassy to
2 [with object] Act in reaction to (a sound such as a telephone ringing or a knock or ring on a door): Digby answered the door [no object]: she rang Edward’s house, hoping the housekeeper would answer...
- Over the two weeks, she will answer knocks to her door and allow people to handle the relic and pray in her house.
- I knocked and knocked, and nobody answered the door.
- He rang the bell, waiting only seconds before the housekeeper answered the door.
3 [no object] (answer to) Be responsible or report to (someone): I answer to the Assistant Commissioner of Specialist Operations...
- I answer to the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Secretary of State.
- He answers to the attorney general, the panel of judges and ultimately the president.
- He answers directly to the vice president of operations or the general manager.
Synonyms
report, be accountable, be answerable, be responsible;
work for, work under, be subordinate to, be supervised by, be managed by
4 [with object] Defend oneself against (a charge, accusation, or criticism): he said he would return to Spain to answer all charges...
- He was hauled before the Board of Control to answer charges over his behaviour.
- A warrant for his arrest was issued yesterday after he failed to attend court on Friday to answer a new charge of shoplifting.
- He was found to be unfit to answer charges because he was suffering from a brain-wasting disease.
Synonyms
rebut, refute, defend oneself against
4.1 [no object] (answer to) Be required to explain or justify oneself to (someone): you will have the police to answer to...
- But the new leadership is based on choice, answering to nothing other than its own justification.
- I'm happy to say that I answer to you and not to the media.
- A pastor doesnt look to do the easy or popular thing, for he answers to God alone for his decisions and actions.
4.2 [no object] (answer for) Be responsible or to blame for: the dust mite has a lot to answer for, especially if you are asthmatic...
- If rules of behaviour are flouted, those responsible must answer for their actions.
- I guess the lesson here is that if you really have integrity, and your opinion is truly your own, and you aren't trying to front or pander, then you wouldn't try to ditch the responsibility of answering for it later.
- Society has a lot to answer for, we all have a responsibility to children.
Synonyms
pay for, be punished for, suffer the consequences of, suffer for;
make amends for, make reparation for, atone for
be accountable for, be responsible for, be liable for, take the blame for;
vouch for
informal take the rap for
5 [with object] Be suitable for fulfilling (a need); satisfy: entrepreneurship is necessary to answer the needs of national and international markets...
- Freight transport by inland waterways is particularly suitable to answer Russia's needs.
- It answers their need for an excuse to go straight, while not at the same time surrendering to the morality of a society they believe has wronged them deeply.
- Literary translation, especially of the great works of the past, never answers a pressing need, nor is it a competitive activity.
Synonyms
satisfy, meet, fulfil, fill, serve, suit, measure up to, match up to;
fit/fill the bill
Phrases
answer the description of
the answer to someone's prayers
answer to (the name of)
have (or know) all the answers
Derivatives
answerer
/ noun ...- Then you have technicians who get the problems that the phone answerers cannot solve.
- If I were actually able to suggest to questioners and answerers that they keep their questions and answers succinct, question time would be over in about 20 minutes.
- There are some queries that we answerers of questions on the story of the English language get asked more often than others.
Origin
Old English andswaru (noun), andswarian (verb), of Germanic origin; from a base shared by swear.
swear from Old English:
This first meant ‘to make a solemn declaration’. The use of swear in connection with bad language came later, around the 15th century, as an extension of the idea of using a sacred name in an oath. Someone who swears a lot can be said to swear like a trooper. A trooper was originally a private soldier in a cavalry unit. By the 18th century these soldiers had developed a reputation for coarse behaviour and bad language. In his novel Pamela (1739–40), Samuel Richardson wrote: ‘She curses and storms at me like a Trooper.’ Answer (Old English) comes from the same root, and originally meant to rebut an accusation.