an·swer /ˈæn(t)sɚ/
 答案,回答,答辯(vt.)回答,符合,適應,響應(vi.)回答,負責,成功,符合


 answer
 應答


 answer
 回答


 An·swer v. t. [imp. & p. p. Answered p. pr. & vb. n. Answering.]
 1. To speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as, to answer a charge; to answer an accusation.
 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.
    She answers him as if she knew his mind.   --Shak.
 So spake the apostate angel, though in pain: . . .
 And him thus answered soon his bold compeer.   --Milton.
 3. To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like; to refute.
    No man was able to answer him a word.   --Matt. xxii. 46.
    These shifts refuted, answer thine appellant.   --Milton.
    The reasoning was not and could not be answered.   --Macaulay.
 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.
 This proud king . . . studies day and night
 To answer all the debts he owes unto you.   --Shak.
 (b) To render account to or for.
    I will . . . send him to answer thee.   --Shak.
 (c) To atone; to be punished for.
    And grievously hath Cæzar answered it.   --Shak.
 (d) To be opposite to; to face.
    The windows answering each other, we could just discern the glowing horizon them.   --Gilpin.
 (e) To be or act an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay. [R.]
    Money answereth all things.   --Eccles. x. 19.
 (f) To be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit.
    Weapons must needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person.   --Swift.


 An·swer, v. i.
 1. To speak or write by way of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to make response.
    There was no voice, nor any that answered.   --1 Kings xviii. 26.
 2. To make a satisfactory response or return. Hence: To render account, or to be responsible; to be accountable; to make amends; as, the man must answer to his employer for the money intrusted to his care.
    Let his neck answer for it, if there is any martial law.   --Shak.
 3. To be or act in return. Hence: (a) To be or act by way of compliance, fulfillment, reciprocation, or satisfaction; to serve the purpose; as, gypsum answers as a manure on some soils.
    Do the strings answer to thy noble hand?   --Dryden.
 (b) To be opposite, or to act in opposition.   (c) To be or act as an equivalent, or as adequate or sufficient; as, a very few will answer. (d) To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; -- usually with to.
    That the time may have all shadow and silence in it, and the place answer to convenience.   --Shak.
 If this but answer to my just belief,
 I 'll remember you.   --Shak.
    As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.   --Prov. xxvii. 19.


 An·swer, n.
 1. A reply to a charge; a defense.
    At my first answer no man stood with me.   --2 Tim. iv. 16.
 2. Something said or written in reply to a question, a call, an argument, an address, or the like; a reply.
    A soft answer turneth away wrath.   --Prov. xv. 1.
    I called him, but he gave me no answer.   --Cant. v. 6.
 3. Something done in return for, or in consequence of, something else; a responsive action.
 Great the slaughter is
 Here made by the Roman; great the answer be
 Britons must take.   --Shak.
 4. A solution, the result of a mathematical operation; as, the answer to a problem.
 5. Law A counter-statement of facts in a course of pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has alleged; a responsive declaration by a witness in reply to a question. In Equity, it is the usual form of defense to the complainant's charges in his bill.
 Syn: -- Reply; rejoinder; response. See Reply.

 ◄ ►


 answer
      n 1: a statement (either spoken or written) that is made in 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" [syn: reply, response]
      2: 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" [syn: solution,
          result, resolution, solvent]
      3: the speech act of replying to a question [ant: question]
      4: the principle 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; "his answer to any problem was to get
         drunk"; "their answer was to sue me"
      v 1: reply or respond to; "She didn't want to answer"; "answer
           the question"; "We answered that we would accept the
           invitation" [syn: reply, respond]
      2: give the correct answer or solution to; "answer a question";
         "answer the riddle"
      3: respond to a signal; "answer the door"; "answer the
         telephone"
      4: understand the meaning of; "The question concerning the
         meaning of life cannot be answered" [syn: resolve]
      5: give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an
         argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of
         the prosecution"
      6: be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions"
      7: 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"
         [syn: suffice, do, serve]
      8: match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to
         the description the victim gave"
      9: be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the
         purpose of; "This may answer her needs"
      10: react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car
          answers to the slightest touch"