DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 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.