ANSWER

Pronunciation (US):

• ANSWER (noun)
  The noun ANSWER has 5 senses:

1. a statement (either spoken or written) that is made in reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
2. a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem
3. the speech act of replying to a 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

  Familiarity information: ANSWER used as a noun is common.

• ANSWER (verb)
  The verb ANSWER has 10 senses:

1. reply or respond to
2. give the correct answer or solution to
3. respond to a signal
4. understand the meaning of
5. give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)
6. be liable or accountable
7. be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
8. match or correspond
9. be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of
10. react to a stimulus or command

  Familiarity information: ANSWER used as a verb is familiar.

• ANSWER (noun)

Meaning:

A statement (either spoken or written) that is made in reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

answer; reply; response

Context examples:

I waited several days for his answer / he wrote replies to several of his critics

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

feedback (response to an inquiry or experiment)

rescript (a reply by a Pope to an inquiry concerning a point of law or morality)

Meaning:

A statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

solvent; solution; result; answer; resolution

Context examples:

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

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

denouement (the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work)

Meaning:

The speech act of replying to a question

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

reply; response (the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

Urim and Thummim (lots thrown to determine God's answers to yes-no questions)

defence; defense; refutation (the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions)

Antonym:

question (an instance of questioning)

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

pleading ((law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "answer"):

evasive answer ((law) an answer by a defendant that fails to admit or deny the allegations set forth in the complaint)

nolo contendere; non vult ((law) an answer of 'no contest' by a defendant who does not admit guilt but that subjects him to conviction)

plea ((law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer))

Meaning:

A nonverbal reaction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context examples:

his answer to any problem was to get drunk / their answer was to sue me

Hypernyms ("answer" is a kind of...):

reaction; response (a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some foregoing stimulus or agent)

• ANSWER (verb)

Meaning:

Reply or respond to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

answer; reply; respond

Context examples:

She didn't want to answer / answer the question / We answered that we would accept the invitation

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

say; state; tell (express in words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "answer"):

bridle (respond to the reins, as of horses)

come back; rejoin; repay; retort; return; riposte (answer back)

sass (answer back in an impudent or insolent manner)

field (answer adequately or successfully)

counter (speak in response)

call back (return or repeat a telephone call)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to somebody

Sentence example:

They answer that there was a traffic accident

Meaning:

Give the correct answer or solution to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context examples:

answer a question / answer the riddle

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Respond to a signal

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context examples:

answer the door / answer the telephone

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Understand the meaning of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

answer; resolve

Context example:

The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

figure out; lick; puzzle out; solve; work; work out (find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Meaning:

Give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

rebut; refute (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Be liable or accountable

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

She must answer for her actions

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Meaning:

Be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

suffice; answer; do; serve

Context examples:

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

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

fulfil; fulfill; live up to; satisfy (fulfil the requirements or expectations of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "answer"):

bridge over; keep going; tide over (suffice for a period between two points)

go a long way (suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent)

function; serve (serve a purpose, role, or function)

measure up; qualify (prove capable or fit; meet requirements)

go around (be sufficient)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Meaning:

Match or correspond

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

agree; check; correspond; fit; gibe; jibe; match; tally (be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

Meaning:

Be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

This may answer her needs

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

fill; fulfil; fulfill; meet; satisfy (fill or meet a want or need)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Meaning:

React to a stimulus or command

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch

Hypernyms (to "answer" is one way to...):

react; respond (show a response or a reaction to something)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP