answer

Etymology 1

From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + -swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply to a question”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also Old English andwyrde (“answer”) (cognate to Dutch antwoord, German Antwort), Old English andcwiss (“reply”), German Schwur (“oath, vow”).

noun

1. A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.
   Her answer to his proposal was a slap in the face.
2. A solution to a problem.
   There is no simple answer to corruption.
3. The proper or effective response.
   Violence is not the answer to disagreements.
4. (law) A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints.

Etymology 2

From Middle English answeren, andswaren, answerien, from Old English andswarian, answarien (“to answer, to respond, to deny an allegation under oath”), from Proto-Germanic *andaswarōną, *andaswarjaną (“to answer, to give a response, to rebut”), from *anda- (“against”) + *swarjaną, *swarōną (“to swear an oath, to answer, to respond”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to swear”) and *h₂ent- (“face, forehead”), equivalent to and- (“against, back”) + swear. Cognate with Old Frisian ondswera (“to answer”), Danish ansvare (“to answer, account for”), Swedish ansvara (“to answer, account for”), Icelandic andsvara (“to answer, reply”).

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To make a reply or response to.
   He answered the question.
2. (transitive) To speak in defence against; to reply to in defence.
   to answer a charge or accusation
3. (transitive, intransitive) To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment.
   She answered the door.
   Nobody answered when I knocked on the door.
4. (transitive, intransitive) To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily.
   Inexperienced girl as I was, I fired at the idea of becoming his dupe, and fancying, perhaps, that there was more in merely answering his note than it would have amounted to, I said — "That kind of thing may answer very well with button-makers, but ladies don't like it. […] 1864, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas
   Of course for publication in a newspaper, my palaeotype would not answer, but my glossotype would enable the author to give his Pennsylvania German in an English form and much more intelligibly. 1871, Alexander J. Ellis, On Early English Pronunciation, London: Trübner & Co., Part III, Chapter 7, section 1, p. 656, footnote 1
   Theobald spoke as if watches had half-a-dozen purposes besides time-keeping, but he could hardly open his mouth without using one or other of his tags, and "answering every purpose" was one of them. 1903, Samuel Butler, chapter 41, in The Way of All Flesh
   It answers the need.
5. To be accountable or responsible; to make amends.
   The man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care.
   He has a lot to answer for.
6. (law) To file a document in response to a complaint.
7. To correspond to; to be in harmony with; to be in agreement with.
   1775, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Duenna, Dublin: G. Burnet et al., 1794, Act II, Scene 2, p. 25, Egad, I wish she had answer’d her picture as well.
   The use of dunder in the making of rum, answers the purpose of yeast in the fermentation of flour. 1793, Bryan Edwards, The History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies, Dublin: Luke White, Volume II, Book V, Chapter 2, p. 231
8. To be opposite, or to act in opposition.
   The windows answering each other, we could just discern the glowing horizon through them […] 1786, William Gilpin, Observations, relative chiefly to picturesque beauty, made in the year 1772: on several parts of England; particularly the mountains, and lakes of Cumberland, and Westmoreland, London: R. Blamire, Volume II, Section 19, p. 85
9. To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; usually with to.
10. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification; to refute.
11. To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, or demand.
    He answered my claim upon him.
    The servant answered the bell.
    The faster a ship sails, the better she will answer her helm; if she sail very slow, she will scarce steer at all. If she heel much, she won't answer the helm so well. 1764, John Nourse, Navigation Or, the Art of Sailing Upon the Sea, page 65
12. (obsolete) To render account to or for.
13. (obsolete) To atone for; to be punished for.
14. (obsolete) To be or act as an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay.