Answering

Answering
Answer An"swer ([a^]n"s[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Answered} ([a^]n"s[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Answering}.] [OE. andswerien, AS. andswerian, andswarian, to answer, fr. andswaru, n., answer. See {Answer}, n.] 1. To speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as, to answer a charge; to answer an accusation. [1913 Webster]

2. To speak or write in return to, as in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration, argument, or the like; to reply to (a question, remark, etc.); to respond to. [1913 Webster]

She answers him as if she knew his mind. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

So spake the apostate angel, though in pain: . . . And him thus answered soon his bold compeer. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like; to refute. [1913 Webster]

No man was able to answer him a word. --Matt. xxii. 46. [1913 Webster]

These shifts refuted, answer thine appellant. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The reasoning was not and could not be answered. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

4. To be or act in return or response to. Hence: (a) To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, demand; as, he answered my claim upon him; the servant answered the bell. [1913 Webster]

This proud king . . . studies day and night To answer all the debts he owes unto you. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (b) To render account to or for. [1913 Webster]

I will . . . send him to answer thee. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (c) To atone; to be punished for. [1913 Webster]

And grievously hath C[ae]zar answered it. --Shak. [1913 Webster] (d) To be opposite to; to face. [1913 Webster]

The windows answering each other, we could just discern the glowing horizon them. --Gilpin. [1913 Webster] (e) To be or act an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay. [R.] [1913 Webster]

Money answereth all things. --Eccles. x. 19. [1913 Webster] (f) To be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit. [1913 Webster]

Weapons must needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person. --Swift. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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