[an-ser, ahn-] 
| 1. | a spoken or written reply or response to a question, request, letter, etc.: He sent an answer to my letter promptly. |
| 2. | a correct response to a question asked to test one's knowledge. |
| 3. | an equivalent or approximation: a singing group that tried to be the French answer to the Beatles. |
| 4. | an action serving as a reply or response: The answer was a volley of fire. |
| 5. | a solution to a problem, esp. in mathematics. |
| 6. | a reply to a charge or accusation. |
| 7. | Law. a pleading in which a party responds to his or her opponent's statement of position, esp. the defendant's reply to the plaintiff's complaint. |
| 8. | Music. the entrance of a fugue subject, usually on the dominant, either slightly altered or transposed exactly after each presentation in the tonic. |
| 9. | to speak or write in response; make answer; reply. |
| 10. | to respond by an act or motion: He answered with a nod. The champion answered with a right to the jaw. |
| 11. | to act or suffer in consequence of (usually fol. by for). |
| 12. | to be or declare oneself responsible or accountable (usually fol. by for): I will answer for his safety. |
| 13. | to be satisfactory or serve (usually fol. by for): His cane answered for a baseball bat. |
| 14. | to conform; correspond (usually fol. by to): The prisoner answered to the description issued by the police. |
| 15. | to speak or write in response to; reply to: to answer a person; to answer a question. |
| 16. | to act or move in response to: Answer the doorbell. We answered their goal with two quick goals of our own. |
| 17. | to solve or present a solution of. |
| 18. | to serve or fulfill: This will answer the purpose. |
| 19. | to discharge (a responsibility, claim, debt, etc.). |
| 20. | to conform or correspond to; be similar or equivalent to: This dog answers your description. |
| 21. | to atone for; make amends for. |
| 22. | to reply or respond favorably to: I would like to answer your request but am unable to do so. |
| 23. | answer back, to reply impertinently or rudely: Well-behaved children do not answer back when scolded. |
| 24. | answer the helm, Nautical. (of a vessel) to maneuver or remain steady according to the position of the rudder. |
answer to
Explain or justify something to someone, as in If Mary doesn't help us finish this project, she'll have to answer to the boss. This expression was at first used mainly for replying to legal charges. [c. a.d. 950]