answer
/'ɑ:nsə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A spoken or written reply to a question, request, or criticism: The act or instance of replying.
- A solution to a problem or puzzle: Something that resolves a difficulty or explains how to resolve it.
- A defendant's formal reply to a charge or complaint in a legal proceeding: The principal pleading by the defendant in response to the plaintiff's complaint.
Verb:
- To speak or write in reaction to a question, request, or criticism: To give a reply.
- To be suitable or adequate for a purpose or need: To meet requirements or serve a function.
- To correspond or match a description or expectation: To be in agreement with.
- To be responsible or accountable for something: To accept liability.
- To react to a signal or stimulus: To respond to a doorbell, telephone, or other summons.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- She gave a clear answer to the interviewer's question.
- The answer to the math problem was 42.
- The defendant filed his answer with the court.
Verb:
- Please answer the email by tomorrow.
- This tool should answer our needs perfectly.
- The suspect answers to the description given by the witness.
- You must answer for your mistakes.
- Could you answer the phone?
Advanced Usage
"To have/know all the answers": To be very confident in one's knowledge or opinions, sometimes excessively so.
- He acts like he has all the answers, but he's often wrong.
"In answer to": As a response or reaction to something.
- The law was passed in answer to public demand.
"Answer to the name of": To be called by a specific name.
- The lost dog answers to the name of "Rex".
Variants and Related Words
Answerable (adj): Responsible or accountable to someone for something.
- Managers are answerable to the board of directors.
Answerer (n): A person who answers.
- The quiz show's fastest answerer wins.
Unanswered (adj): Not replied to or resolved.
- Many important questions remain unanswered.
Synonyms
- Reply (v/n): To respond or a response.
- Respond (v): To react verbally or in writing.
- Solution (n): A means of solving a problem.
- Retort (v/n): A quick, sharp, or witty reply.
Related Phrasal Verbs
Answer back: To reply rudely or defiantly, especially to someone in authority.
- Don't you dare answer back to your teacher!
Answer for:
- To be responsible or accountable for something.
- He will have to answer for his actions.
- To vouch for or guarantee someone's character or behavior.
- I can answer for her honesty.
Answer to:
- To be accountable to a person or authority.
- The committee answers to the CEO.
- To correspond to a description.
- The man answers to the description of the suspect.
Related Idioms
A straight answer: A direct and honest reply.
- I just want a straight answer to a simple question.
The answer to someone's prayers: Exactly what someone wanted or needed.
- The scholarship was the answer to her prayers.
Noun
- a nonverbal reaction
- his answer to any problem was to get drunk
- their answer was to sue me
- 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
- the speech act of replying to a question
- 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
- 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
Verb
- react to a stimulus or command
- The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch
- be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of
- This may answer her needs
- match or correspond
- The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave
- 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
- be liable or accountable
- She must answer for her actions
- give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)
- The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution
- understand the meaning of
- The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered
- give the correct answer or solution to
- answer a question
- answer the riddle
- respond to a signal
- answer the door
- answer the telephone
- react verbally
- She didn't want to answer
- answer the question
- We answered that we would accept the invitation