ANSWER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does answer mean? 

• ANSWER (noun)
  The noun ANSWER has 5 senses:

1. a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

2. a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem

3. the speech act of replying to a 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

  Familiarity information: ANSWER used as a noun is common.

• ANSWER (verb)
  The verb ANSWER has 10 senses:

1. react verbally

2. respond to a signal

3. give the correct answer or solution to

4. understand the meaning of

5. give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)

6. be liable or accountable

7. be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity

8. match or correspond

9. be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of

10. react to a stimulus or command

  Familiarity information: ANSWER used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ANSWER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

answer; reply; response

Context example:

he wrote replies to several of his critics

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

rescript (a reply by a Pope to an inquiry concerning a point of law or morality)

feedback (response to an inquiry or experiment)

Derivation:

answer (react verbally)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

answer; resolution; result; solution; solvent

Context example:

he computed the result to four decimal places

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

denouement (the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work)

Derivation:

answer (give the correct answer or solution to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The speech act of replying to a question

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

reply; response (the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

Urim and Thummim (lots thrown to determine God's answers to yes-no questions)

defence; defense; refutation (the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions)

Antonym:

question (an instance of questioning)

Derivation:

answer (react verbally)

Sense 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

pleading ((law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

nolo contendere; non vult ((law) an answer of 'no contest' by a defendant who does not admit guilt but that subjects him to conviction)

plea ((law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer))

evasive answer ((law) an answer by a defendant that fails to admit or deny the allegations set forth in the complaint)

Derivation:

answer (give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument))

Sense 5

Meaning:

A nonverbal reaction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

their answer was to sue me

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

reaction; response (a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some antecedent stimulus or agent)

Derivation:

answer (react to a stimulus or command)

answer (respond to a signal)

• ANSWER (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

React verbally

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

answer; reply; respond

Context example:

We answered that we would accept the invitation

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "answer"):

counter (speak in response)

bridle (respond to the reins, as of horses)

come back; rejoin; repay; retort; return; riposte (answer back)

sass (answer back in an impudent or insolent manner)

field (answer adequately or successfully)

call back (return or repeat a telephone call)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to somebody

Sentence example:

They answer that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

answer (a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation)

answer (the speech act of replying to a question)

answerer (someone who responds)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Respond to a signal

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

answer the telephone

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

answer (a nonverbal reaction)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Give the correct answer or solution to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

answer the riddle

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

answer (a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Understand the meaning of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

answer; resolve

Context example:

The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

answerable (capable of being answered)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

rebut; refute (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

answer (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)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Be liable or accountable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

She must answer for her actions

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

answer; do; serve; suffice

Context example:

Nothing else will serve

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

fulfil; fulfill; live up to; satisfy (meet the requirements or expectations of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "answer"):

bridge over; keep going; tide over (suffice for a period between two points)

go a long way (suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent)

function; serve (serve a purpose, role, or function)

measure up; qualify (prove capable or fit; meet requirements)

go around (be sufficient)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Match or correspond

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

agree; check; correspond; fit; gibe; jibe; match; tally (be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

This may answer her needs

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

conform to; fill; fit; fulfil; fulfill; meet; satisfy (fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

React to a stimulus or command

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

answer (a nonverbal reaction)

 Context examples 

You must get a thorough education, was the answer, whether or not you ultimately become a writer.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Family questions that you’ve pondered will also bring answers, so by all means, brainstorm for many possible options and choose the best

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand questions, which I had no inclination to answer.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

‘I fear there is not very much,’ I answered; ‘I might suggest that you have gone about in fear of some personal attack within the last twelve months.’

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I suppose so," answered the Scarecrow.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

If that be all, answered the sparrow, come with me into the next town, and I will soon find you plenty of food.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

"Grub, when I've got it, and that's most of the time," came the answer.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

“Quite so,” he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Master of the steamship Macedonia, seal-hunter,” was the answer.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Sherlock Holmes’s answer was an astounding one.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)