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answer

Pronunciation: /ˈɑːn.sə/

The English word “answer” has 18 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.
  2. A solution to a problem.
  3. Someone or something that fills a similar role or position.
  4. A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints.

verb

  1. To make a reply or response to.
  2. To speak in defence against; to reply to in defence.
  3. To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment.
  4. To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily.
  5. To be accountable or responsible; to make amends.
  6. To file a document in response to a complaint.
  7. To correspond to; to be in harmony with; to be in agreement with.
  8. To be opposite, or to act in opposition.
  9. To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; usually with to.
  10. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification; to refute.
  11. To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, or demand.
  12. To render account to or for.
  13. To atone for; to be punished for.
  14. To be or act as an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay.

Etymology

From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply…

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.