answer
1. an.swer \'an(t)-s*r\ n [ME, fr. OE andswaru; akin to ON andsvar answer;
both fr. a prehist]oric WGmc-NGmc compound whose first constituent is
represented by OE and- against, and whose second constituent is akin to OE
swerian to swear - more at ANTE- 1a: something spoken or written in return
to or satisfying a question 1b: a correct response 2a: a reply to a
charge : DEFENSE 2b: a rejoinder made by the defendant in an equity case
in reply to the charges made by the complainant in his bill 3: something
done in response; also : responsive action 4: a solution of a problem
2. answer \'an(t)s-(*-)rin\ \-s*r-*r\ vb or an.swer.ing 1: to speak or
write in reply 2a: to be or make oneself responsible or accountable 2b:
to make amends : ATONE 3: to be in conformity or correspondence {~ed to
the descrip tion} 4: to act in response to an action performed elsewhere or
by another 5: to be adequate : SERVE 1: to speak or write in reply to;
also : to say or write by way of reply 2: to reply in rebuttal,
justification, or explanation 3a: to correspond to 3b: to be sufficient
for : SERVE obs 4: to atone for 5: to act in response to 6: to offer a
solution for; esp : SOLVE implies either the logical or practical
satisfying of a question, demand, call, or need; RESPOND implies reacting
to any stimulus often spontaneously or without resistance or delay; REPLY
implies making a return that covers the same ground as the question being
answered; it may focus upon the act of answering {he answered correctly; he
replied vigorously} REJOIN often implies answering an implied question or
objection and may suggest sharpness or quickness in answering; RETORT
suggests responding to an explicit charge or criticism by way of
retaliation - an.swer.er n SYN syn RESPOND, REPLY, REJOIN, RETORT: ANSWER
Webster's English Dictionary