Adjacent Words

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

'ANSWER, v.t. ansur.
1. To speak in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration or argument of another person; as, "I have called and ye have not answered." "He answered the question or the argument." This may be in agreement and confirmation of what was said, or in opposition to it.
2. To be equivalent to; to be adequate to, or sufficient to accomplish the object. "Money answereth all things," noting, primarily, return.
3. To comply with, fulfill, pay or satisfy; as, he answered my order; to answer a debt.
4. To act in return, or opposition; as, the enemy answered our fire by a shower of grape shot.
5. To bear a due proportion to; to be equal or adequate; to suit; as, a weapon does not answer the size and strength of the man using it; the success does not answer our expectation.
6. To perform what was intended; to accomplish; as, the measure does not answer its end; it does not answer the purpose.
7. To be opposite to; to face; as, fire answers fire.
8. To write in reply; to reply to another writing, by way of explanation, refutation or justification; as, to answer a pamphlet.
9. To solve, as a proposition or problem in mathematics.
This word may be applied to a great variety of objects, expressing the idea of a return; as the notes, or sounds of birds, and other animals; an echo, etc.
'ANSWER, v.i.
1. To reply; to speak by way of return; as, there is none to answer. 1 Kings 18.
2. To be accountable, liable or responsible; followed by to before the person, and for before the thing for which one is liable; as, the man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care; we can not answer to God for our offenses.
3. To vindicate, or give a justificatory account of; followed by for; as, a man cannot answer for his friend.
4. To correspond with; to suit with; followed by to.
In water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. Proverbs 27.
5. To act reciprocally, as the strings of an instrument to the hand.
6. To stand as opposite or correlative; as, allegiance in the subject answers to protection on the part of the prince or government.
7. To return, as sound reverberated; to echo.
The noise seems to fly away, and answer at a great distance.
8. To succeed; to effect the object intended; to have a good effect; as, gypsum answers as a manure on a dry soil.
ANSWER, n.
1. A reply; that which is said, in return to a call, a question, an argument or an allegation.
A soft answer turneth away wrath. Prov.
I called him, but he gave me no answer. Song 5.
2. An account to be rendered to justice.
He will call you to so hot an answer for it.
3. In law, a counter-statement of facts, in a course of pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has alleged.
4. A writing, pamphlet or book, in reply to another.
5. A reverberated sound; an echo.
6. A return; that which is sent in consequence of some petition, as a blessing is sent in answer to prayer.
7. A solution, the result of a mathematical operation.
8. The reply of a legislative body or house to an address or message of the supreme magistrate.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to 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: answer, 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, answer, result, resolution, solvent]
3: the speech act of replying to a question [ant: enquiry, inquiry, interrogation, query, question]
4: the principal 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: react verbally; "She didn't want to answer"; "answer the question"; "We answered that we would accept the invitation" [syn: answer, 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: answer, 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"; "Nothing else will serve" [syn: suffice, do, answer, serve]
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"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English andswaru (akin to Old Norse andsvar answer); akin to Old English and- against, swerian to swear — more at ante- Date: before 12th century 1. a. something spoken or written in reply to a question b. a correct response <knows the answer> 2. a reply to a legal charge or suit ; plea; also defense 3. something done in response or reaction <his only answer was to walk out> 4. a solution of a problem <more money is not the answer> 5. one that imitates, matches, or corresponds to another <television's answer to the news magazines> Synonyms: answer, response, reply, rejoinder, retort mean something spoken, written, or done in return. answer implies the satisfying of a question, demand, call, or need <had answers to all their questions>. response may imply a quick or spontaneous reaction to a person or thing that serves as a stimulus <a response to the call for recruits>. reply often suggests a thorough response to all issues, points, or questions raised <a point-by-point reply to the accusation>. rejoinder can be a response to a reply or to an objection <a salesman with a quick rejoinder to every argument>. retort implies a reaction to an implicit or explicit charge, criticism, or attack which contains a countercharge or counterattack <she made a cutting retort to her critics>. II. verb (answered; answering) Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. to speak or write in reply 2. a. to be or make oneself responsible or accountable <answer for a debt> b. to make amends ; atone <must answer for his crimes> 3. to be in conformity or correspondence <answered to the description> 4. to act in response to an action performed elsewhere or by another <the home team scored first but the visitors answered quickly> 5. to be adequate ; serve <an old bucket answered for a sink> transitive verb 1. a. to speak or write in reply to <answer a question> <answer me> b. to say or write by way of reply <answer yes or no> 2. to reply to in rebuttal, justification, or explanation <answer an accusation> 3. a. to correspond to <answers the description> b. to be adequate or usable for ; fulfill <answer a need> 4. obsolete to atone for 5. to act in response to <answered the call to arms> 6. to offer a solution for; especially solve <answer a riddle> • answerer noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 something said or done to deal with or in reaction to a question, statement, or circumstance. 2 the solution to a problem. --v. 1 tr. make an answer to (answer me; answer my question). 2 intr. (often foll. by to) make an answer. 3 tr. respond to the summons or signal of (answer the door; answer the telephone). 4 tr. be satisfactory for (a purpose or need). 5 intr. (foll. by for, to) be responsible (you will answer to me for your conduct). 6 intr. (foll. by to) correspond, esp. to a description. 7 intr. be satisfactory or successful. Phrases and idioms: answer back answer a rebuke etc. impudently. answering machine a tape recorder which supplies a recorded answer to a telephone call. answering service a business that receives and answers telephone calls for its clients. answer to the name of be called. Etymology: OE andswaru, andswarian f. Gmc, = swear against (charge)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(answers, answering, answered) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. When you answer someone who has asked you something, you say something back to them. Just answer the question... He paused before answering... 'When?' asked Alba, 'Tonight', answered Tom... Williams answered that he had no specific proposals yet. VERB: V n, V, V with quote, V that 2. An answer is something that you say when you answer someone. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went in through the door... I don't quite know what to say in answer to your question. = reply, response N-COUNT: also in N to n 3. If you say that someone will not take no for an answer, you mean that they go on trying to make you agree to something even after you have refused. He would never take no for an answer. PHRASE: with brd-neg 4. If you answer a letter or advertisement, you write to the person who wrote it. She answered an advert for a job as a cook. VERB: V n, also V 5. An answer is a letter that you write to someone who has written to you. I wrote to him but I never had an answer back... She wrote to Roosevelt's secretary in answer to his letter of the day before. = reply, response N-COUNT: also in N to n 6. When you answer the telephone, you pick it up when it rings. When you answer the door, you open it when you hear a knock or the bell. She answered her phone on the first ring... A middle-aged woman answered the door. VERB: V n, V n, also V • Answer is also a noun. I knocked at the front door and there was no answer. N-COUNT: usu sing 7. An answer to a problem is a solution to it. There are no easy answers to the problems facing the economy... Prison is not the answer for most young offenders... N-COUNT: oft N to n 8. Someone's answer to a question in a test or quiz is what they write or say in an attempt to give the facts that are asked for. The answer to a question is the fact that was asked for. Simply marking an answer wrong will not help the pupil to get future examples correct... N-COUNT: oft N to n 9. When you answer a question in a test or quiz, you write or say something in an attempt to give the facts that are asked for. To obtain her degree, she answered 81 questions over 10 papers. VERB: V n 10. Your answer to something that someone has said or done is what you say or do in response to it or in defence of yourself. In answer to speculation that she wouldn't finish the race, she boldly declared her intention of winning it. = reply, response N-COUNT: also in N to n 11. If you answer something that someone has said or done, you respond to it. He answered her smile with one of his own... That statement seemed designed to answer criticism of allied bombing missions. = counter VERB: V n with n, V n, also V n by -ing 12. If something answers a need or purpose, it satisfies it, because it has the right qualities. We provide specially designed shopping trolleys to answer the needs of parents with young children. = satisfy VERB: V n 13. If someone or something answers a particular description or answers to it, they have the characteristics described. Two men answering the description of the suspects tried to enter Switzerland... The Japanese never built any aircraft remotely answering to this description. = fit VERB: V n, V to n

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question.

1. In the Old Testament:

Six different words are translated by answer.

(1) It is frequently used where no question has been asked and in such cases it means a word, a statement.

(2) It also means a response (Job 21:34; 34:36).

(3) It often means a declaration or proclamation from God where no question has been asked. See the many passages that read: "The Lord answered and said."

(4) The other words translated "answer" or "answered" in the Old Testament are unimportant shadings and variations.

2. In the New Testament:

The words translated "answer" are not so varied.

(1) It sometimes means an apology, a defense (1Pe 3:15; Ac 24:10,25).

(2) It may mean simply "to say" (Mr 9:6).

(3) It may mean a revelation from God (Ro 11:4).

(4) It is also used to apply to unspoken thoughts of the heart, especially in the sayings of Jesus; also by Peter to Sapphira (Ac 5:8).

G. H. Gerberding

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Reply (especially to a question), rejoin, respond, say in reply, make answer, reply, or response. 2. Be accountable, be responsible or liable, be security, go surety. 3. Correspond, be correlated, be counterpart, be like, be similar. 4. Do, pass, serve, suit, be sufficient, be enough, do well enough, pass muster, be of use. II. v. a. 1. Reply to, respond to, make answer to. 2. Refute, meet by argument or explanation. 3. Satisfy, fulfil, be suitable to, be sufficient for. III. n. 1. Reply, response, rejoinder, replication, retort, counter-statement. 2. Refutation, confutation, defence, plea.

Moby Thesaurus

Agnus Dei, Benedicite, ESP, Gloria, Gloria Patri, Gloria in Excelsis, Introit, Magnificat, Miserere, Nunc Dimittis, Parthian shot, Te Deum, Trisagion, Vedic hymn, accomplishment, accord, acknowledge, acknowledgment, action, action and reaction, ad hoc measure, address, advance, advantage, advocate, affect, affirmation, agree, allegation, allege in support, alleluia, answer back, answer conclusively, answer for, answer to, anthem, antiphon, antiphonal chanting, antiphony, apostrophe, appertain to, apply to, approach, argue down, argue for, argument, artifice, ascertainment, assent, assert, assertion, assort with, atone for, automatic reaction, autonomic reaction, avail, averment, be OK, be consistent, be equal to, be handy, be of one, be of use, be right, be uniform with, bear, bear on, bear upon, befit, befitting, belong to, benefit, bestead, billet, bottom, bounceback, business letter, canticle, champion, chant, check, chime, chit, chorale, clear up, clearing up, coequal, cohere, coincide, come back, come back at, come in, comeback, comment, commerce, communicate with, communication, communion, complement, complete answer, concern, concur, conform, conform to, conform with, confound, confounding, confutation, confute, congress, connect, connection, consist with, contact, contend for, contradict, contradiction, contrivance, controversion, controvert, conversation, converse, cooperate, correspond, correspond to, correspondence, counter, countercharge, countermove, counterstatement, coup, course of action, crack, cracking, crush, deal with, dealing, dealings, debug, decipher, decipherment, declaration, decode, decoding, defeat, defence, defend, defense, demarche, demolish, demolition, demurrer, denial, denouement, deny, determination, device, dictum, discrediting, disentangle, disentanglement, dismiss, dispatch, dispose of, disprove, divine, do, do it, do the job, do the trick, dodge, dope, dope out, dovetail, doxology, echo, effective rejoinder, effort, end, end result, epistle, espouse, establish connection, exception, exchange, exclamation, expedient, explain, explanation, expression, fall in together, fathom, favor, figure out, fill, fill the bill, find out, find the answer, find the solution, finding, finding-out, finish, fit, fit together, flash back, floor, forward, fulfill, get, get by, get right, get to, gimmick, give acknowledgment, give answer, give good returns, go around, go together, go with, greeting, guarantee, guess, guess right, hack it, hallelujah, hang together, harmonize, have connection with, have it, hit, hit it, hold, hold together, hosanna, hymn, hymn of praise, hymnody, hymnography, hymnology, improvisation, information, interaction, interchange, intercommunication, intercommunion, intercourse, interest, interjection, interlock, interplay, interpret, interpretation, interrogate, intersect, involve, issue, jibe, jury-rig, jury-rigged expedient, just do, justification, last expedient, last resort, last shift, laud, letter, liaise with, line, linguistic intercourse, link with, lock, maintain, make a plea, make advances, make contact with, make out, make overtures, make the grade, make up to, makeshift, maneuver, mantra, match, means, measure, meet, meet requirements, mention, message, missive, motet, move, nonplus, not come amiss, note, objection, observation, offertory, offertory sentence, open the lock, outcome, overlap, overthrow, overthrowal, overturn, overwhelm, paean, parallel, parry, pass, pass muster, pay, pay off, pertain to, phrase, pis aller, plea, plead for, pleading, plumb, position, predictable response, profit, promote, pronouncement, psalm, psalmody, psych, psych out, put to silence, puzzle out, qualify, question, raise, ravel, ravel out, reach, react, reaction, reason, rebut, rebuttal, rebutter, reciprocate, recognize, recriminate, reduce to silence, reecho, refer to, reflection, reflex, reflex action, refluence, reflux, refutal, refutation, refute, regard, register, register with, rejoin, rejoinder, relate, relate to, remark, replication, reply, reply to, report, rescript, resolution, resolve, resolving, resort, resource, respect, respond, respond to, respondence, response, responsory, responsory report, result, retort, retroaction, return, return answer, return for answer, reverberate, reverberation, revulsion, riddle, riddling, riposte, rise, satisfy, say, say in defense, say in reply, saying, sentence, serve, serve the purpose, settle, shake-up, shift, shoot back, shut up, silence, sing in chorus, smash all opposition, snap back, social intercourse, solution, solve, solving, sort out, sort with, sorting out, speak for, speak up for, speaking, special demurrer, special pleading, speech, speech circuit, speech situation, sponsor, square, square with, squash, squelch, stand, stand together, stand up, stand up for, statement, statement of defense, step, stick up for, stopgap, stratagem, stretch, stroke, stroke of policy, subjoinder, subversion, subvert, suffice, suit, suit the occasion, support, surrebuttal, surrebutter, surrejoinder, sustain, tactic, take it, take the bait, talk back, talking, tally, telepathy, temporary expedient, thought, tie in with, touch, touch upon, traffic, treat of, trick, truck, trump, two-way communication, undermine, undermining, undo, unlock, unravel, unraveling, unriddle, unriddling, unscramble, unscrambling, unspinning, untangle, untangling, unthinking response, untwist, untwisting, unweave, unweaving, uphold, upset, upsetting, upshot, urge reasons for, utterance, versicle, word, work, work out, working, working hypothesis, working proposition, working-out, yield a profit