an·swer

(ăn′sər)

a. A spoken or written reply, as to a question.

b. A correct reply.

a. A solution, as to a problem.

b. A correct solution.

3. An act in response or retaliation: Our only possible answer was to sue.

4. Something markedly similar to another of the same class: cable TV's answer to the commercial networks' sportscasts.

5. Law A defendant's response to the allegations against him or her.

v. an·swered, an·swer·ing, an·swers

v.intr.

1. To speak or write as a return, as to a question.

2. To act in response: Their team scored, but our team answered with a quick goal.

3. To be liable or accountable: You must answer for your actions to your supervisor.

4. To serve the purpose; suffice: "Often I do use three words where one would answer" (Mark Twain).

5. To correspond; match: I found a dog answering to that description.

v.tr.

a. To speak or write in response to: answer a question.

b. To say or write in reply: He answered that he was unable to join us.

c. To argue in defense of oneself against (an accusation or charge).

2. To act in response to: The police answered the call for help. The soldiers answered the attack.

3. To be sufficient for (a need, for instance); fulfill: "My fortune has answered my desires" (Izaak Walton).

4. To conform or correspond to: The suspect answers the description given by the police.

[Middle English answere, from Old English andswaru; see swer- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: answer, respond, reply, retort¹
These verbs relate to action taken in return to a stimulus. Answer, respond, and reply, the most general, all mean to speak, write, or act in response: Please answer my question. Did you expect the president to respond personally to your letter? The opposing team scored three runs; the home team replied with two of their own. Respond also denotes a reaction, either voluntary (A bystander responded to the victim's need for help) or involuntary (She responded in spite of herself to the antics of the puppy). To retort is to answer verbally in a quick, caustic, or witty manner: She won the debate by retorting sharply to her opponent's questions. See Also Synonyms at satisfy.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

answer

(ˈɑːnsə)

1. a reply, either spoken or written, as to a question, request, letter, or article

2. a reaction or response in the form of an action: drunkenness was his answer to disappointment.

3. a solution, esp of a mathematical problem

4. (Law) law

a. a party's written reply to his opponent's interrogatories

b. (in divorce law) the respondent's written reply to the petition

5. (Classical Music) a musical phrase that follows the subject of a fugue, reproducing it a fifth higher or a fourth lower

6. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to reply or respond (to) by word or act: to answer a question; he answered; to answer the door; he answered that he would come.

7. (tr) to reply correctly to; solve or attempt to solve: I could answer only three questions.

8. (usually foll by: to) to respond or react (to a stimulus, command, etc): the steering answers to the slightest touch.

9. (tr) to pay off (a debt, obligation, etc); discharge

10. (when intr, often foll by : for) to meet the requirements (of); be satisfactory (for); serve the purpose (of): this will answer his needs; this will answer for a chisel.

11. (when intr, often foll by : to) to match or correspond (esp in the phrase answer (or answer to) the description)

12. (tr) to give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)

[Old English andswaru an answer; related to Old Frisian ondser, Old Norse andsvar; see swear]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

an•swer

(ˈæn sər, ˈɑn-)

n.

1. a spoken or written reply or response to a question, request, letter, etc.

2. a correct response to a question.

3. an equivalent or approximation; counterpart: the French answer to the Beatles.

4. an action serving as a reply or response: The answer was a volley of fire.

5. a solution to a problem, esp. in mathematics.

6. a reply to a charge or accusation.

7. the defendant's reply to the plaintiff's charge.

v.i.

8. to speak or write in response; make answer; reply.

9. to respond by an act or motion: He answered with a right to the jaw.

10. to act or suffer in consequence (usu. fol. by for).

11. to be or declare oneself responsible or accountable (usu. fol. by for): I will answer for his safety.

12. to be satisfactory or serve (usu. fol. by for).

13. to conform; correspond (usu. fol. by to): She answered to the description.

v.t.

14. to speak or write in response to; reply to.

15. to act or move in response to: Answer the doorbell.

16. to solve or present a solution of.

17. to serve or fulfill: This will answer the purpose.

18. to discharge (a responsibility, claim, debt, etc.).

19. to conform or correspond to: This dog answers your description.

20. to reply or respond favorably to: to answer a request.

21. to atone for; make amends for.

22. answer back, to reply impertinently.

[before 900; Middle English andswerien, Old English andswerian, andswarian, derivative of andswaru an answer =and- opposite, facing (compare and, along) + Germanic *swarō, derivative of swear]

an′swer•er, n.

an′swer•less, adj.

syn: answer, reply, response, rejoinder, retort all refer to words used to meet a question, proposal, charge, etc. An answer is something said or written in return: an answer giving the desired information. A reply is usu. somewhat more formal or detailed: a courteous reply to a letter. A response is often a reaction to an appeal, suggestion, etc.: an enthusiastic response to a plea for cooperation. A rejoinder is a quick, usu. clever answer to another person's reply or comment: a rejoinder that silenced the opposition. A retort is a keen, prompt answer, usu. to a charge or criticism: The false accusation provoked a sharp retort.

answer

1. used as a verb

When you answer someone who has asked you a question, you say something back to them. You can either say that someone answers a person or that they answer a question.

I didn't know how to answer her.

I tried my best to answer her questions.

Be Careful!
You don't 'answer to' someone who has asked you a question, or 'answer to' their question.

2. used as a noun

An answer is something that you say to someone when they have asked you a question.

'Is there anyone here?' I asked. There was no answer.

An answer to a problem is a possible solution to it.

At first it seemed like the answer to all my problems.

Be Careful!
Don't talk about an 'answer for' a problem.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

answer

Past participle: answered
Gerund: answering

Imperative
answer
answer

Present
I answer
you answer
he/she/it answers
we answer
you answer
they answer

Preterite
I answered
you answered
he/she/it answered
we answered
you answered
they answered

Present Continuous
I am answering
you are answering
he/she/it is answering
we are answering
you are answering
they are answering

Present Perfect
I have answered
you have answered
he/she/it has answered
we have answered
you have answered
they have answered

Past Continuous
I was answering
you were answering
he/she/it was answering
we were answering
you were answering
they were answering

Past Perfect
I had answered
you had answered
he/she/it had answered
we had answered
you had answered
they had answered

Future
I will answer
you will answer
he/she/it will answer
we will answer
you will answer
they will answer

Future Perfect
I will have answered
you will have answered
he/she/it will have answered
we will have answered
you will have answered
they will have answered

Future Continuous
I will be answering
you will be answering
he/she/it will be answering
we will be answering
you will be answering
they will be answering

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been answering
you have been answering
he/she/it has been answering
we have been answering
you have been answering
they have been answering

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been answering
you will have been answering
he/she/it will have been answering
we will have been answering
you will have been answering
they will have been answering

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been answering
you had been answering
he/she/it had been answering
we had been answering
you had been answering
they had been answering

Conditional
I would answer
you would answer
he/she/it would answer
we would answer
you would answer
they would answer

Past Conditional
I would have answered
you would have answered
he/she/it would have answered
we would have answered
you would have answered
they would have answered

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	answer - a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to 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" reply, response statement - a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc; "according to his statement he was in London on that day" rescript - a reply by a Pope to an inquiry concerning a point of law or morality feedback - response to an inquiry or experiment
	2.	answer - 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" result, solution, solvent, resolution statement - a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc; "according to his statement he was in London on that day" denouement - the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work
	3.	answer - the speech act of replying to a question reply, response - the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange; "he growled his reply" Urim and Thummim - lots thrown to determine God's answers to yes-no questions refutation, defence, defense - the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions; "his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive"; "in defense he said the other man started it" enquiry, query, question, inquiry, interrogation - an instance of questioning; "there was a question about my training"; "we made inquiries of all those who were present"
	4.	answer - the principal 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 pleading - (law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding 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) law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
	5.	answer - a nonverbal reaction; "his answer to any problem was to get drunk"; "their answer was to sue me" response, reaction - a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some antecedent stimulus or agent; "a bad reaction to the medicine"; "his responses have slowed with age"
Verb	1.	answer - react verbally; "She didn't want to answer"; "answer the question"; "We answered that we would accept the invitation" reply, respond call back - return or repeat a telephone call; "I am busy right now--can you call back in an hour?"; "She left a message but the contractor never called back" counter - speak in response; "He countered with some very persuasive arguments" field - answer adequately or successfully; "The lawyer fielded all questions from the press" sass - answer back in an impudent or insolent manner; "don't sass me!"; "The teacher punished the students who were sassing all morning"; retort, rejoin, riposte, come back, repay, return - answer back say, state, tell - express in words; "He said that he wanted to marry her"; "tell me what is bothering you"; "state your opinion"; "state your name" bridle - respond to the reins, as of horses
	2.	answer - respond to a signal; "answer the door"; "answer the telephone" react, respond - show a response or a reaction to something
	3.	answer - give the correct answer or solution to; "answer a question"; "answer the riddle" figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out, work - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"
	4.	answer - understand the meaning of; "The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered" resolve figure out, puzzle out, solve, lick, work out, work - find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of; "did you solve the problem?"; "Work out your problems with the boss"; "this unpleasant situation isn't going to work itself out"; "did you get it?"; "Did you get my meaning?"; "He could not work the math problem"
	5.	answer - give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution" rebut, refute - overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof; "The speaker refuted his opponent's arguments"
	6.	answer - be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions" be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer"
	7.	answer - 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" suffice, do, serve bridge over, tide over, keep going - suffice for a period between two points; "This money will keep us going for another year" go a long way - suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent serve, function - serve a purpose, role, or function; "The tree stump serves as a table"; "The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom served him well"; "The table functions as a desk" live up to, satisfy, fulfill, fulfil - meet the requirements or expectations of measure up, qualify - prove capable or fit; meet requirements go around - be sufficient; "There's not enough to go around"
	8.	answer - match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave" correspond, gibe, jibe, match, tally, agree, fit, check - be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics; "The two stories don't agree in many details"; "The handwriting checks with the signature on the check"; "The suspect's fingerprints don't match those on the gun"
	9.	answer - be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of; "This may answer her needs" fulfil, fulfill, satisfy, meet, fill - fill or meet a want or need
	10.	answer - react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch" react, respond - show a response or a reaction to something

answer

verb

1. reply, explain, respond, resolve, acknowledge, react, return, retort, rejoin, refute He paused before answering.
reply ask, question, query, inquire, interrogate

2. acknowledge, respond to, react to, reply to, write back to Did he answer your letter?

3. pick up, get, respond to She answered her phone on the first ring.

4. satisfy, meet, serve, fit, fill, suit, solve, fulfil, suffice, measure up to We must ensure we answer real needs.

5. fit, meet, match, agree to, conform to, correspond to, correlate to two men answering the description of the suspects

6. defend yourself against, refute, rebut He will appear in court to answer charges of trying to hide money.

noun

1. reply, response, reaction, resolution, explanation, plea, comeback, retort, report, return, defence, acknowledgement, riposte, counterattack, refutation, rejoinder Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went in.
reply question, inquiry, query, interrogation

2. solution, resolution, explanation Simply marking an answer wrong will not help the student.

3. remedy, solution, vindication Prison is not the answer for most young offenders.

4. defence, response, reply, rebuttal, counter-statement In answer to the speculation, she boldly declared her intention.

answer for something

1. be responsible for, be to blame for, be liable for, be accountable for, take the rap for (slang), be answerable for, be chargeable for That child's mother has a lot to answer for.

2. pay for, suffer for, atone for, make amends for He must be made to answer for his terrible crimes.

answer someone back be impertinent, argue, dispute, disagree, retort, contradict, rebut, talk back, be cheeky I always answered my parents back when I thought they were wrong.

answer to someone be responsible to, obey, work under, be ruled by, be managed by, be subordinate to, be accountable to, be answerable to He answers to a boss he has met once in 18 months.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

answer

noun

1. Something spoken or written in return, as to a question or demand:

rejoinder, reply, response.

2. Something worked out to explain, resolve, or provide a method for dealing with and settling a problem:

determination, solution.

Mathematics: result.

verb

1. To speak or act in response, as to a question:

rejoin, reply, respond, retort, return, riposte.

2. To meet a need or requirement:

do, serve, suffice, suit.

3. To supply fully or completely:

fill, fulfill, meet, satisfy.

Translations

إجَابَةجَوابحَـل لِمَسْألَهيُجيبيَرُد عَلى، يُجِيب

отговорреакциярешение

odpověďodpovědětodpovídatotevřítreagovat

svarsvaretilfredsstilleløsning

Antwort antworten Lösungverantwortlich zeichnenbeantworten

απάντηση απαντώ αποκρίνομαι απόκριση λογοδοτώ

respondirespondo

respuesta contestación contestar responder solución

vastatavastausvastineratkaisu

réponse répondre solution satisfaire répondre à

תשובה

odgovorodgovoriti

csengetésre ajtót nyitfelelfelveszmegoldásválasz

svarsvarafullnægjalausnsamsvara

rispondere risposta servire allo scopo corrispondere essere adatto a

答え答える

대답대답하다

atidarytiatsakiklisatsakingasatsakymasatsakyti

apmierinātatbildeatbildētatbilstatrisinājums

antwoord antwoorden

svar svare tilfredsstille løsning lukke opp

odpowiedź odpowiedzieć odpowiadać

responder resposta

răspuns

ответ отвечать решение ответить возражение

odgovorodgovoritirešitev

odgovoritiодговорити

svarsvara

คำตอบตอบ

açmak bakmakbildirildiği gibi olmakçare cevap

câu trả lờitrả lời

回答答案應答满足符合

answer

[ˈɑːnsəʳ]

A. N

1. (= reply) → respuesta f, contestación f
he has an answer for everything → tiene respuesta or contestación para todo
I never got an answer to my question → nunca me respondieron or contestaron (a) la pregunta
he smiled in answer → como respuesta esbozó una sonrisa
in answer to your letter → en respuesta a su carta
in answer to your question → en or como respuesta a su pregunta, para responder or contestar (a) su pregunta
there's no answer (Telec) → no contestan
I knocked but there was no answer → llamé a la puerta pero no hubo respuesta or no abrieron
there's no answer to that → no existe una respuesta para eso
I made no answer → no respondí
her only answer was to smile → respondió simplemente con una sonrisa, como respuesta se limitó a sonreír
it was the answer to my prayers → fue la solución a todos mis problemas
to know all the answers → tener respuesta para todo, saberlo todo
he's not exactly the answer to a maiden's prayer → no es precisamente un príncipe azul

2. (= solution) → solución f
we have the answer to your problem → tenemos la solución a su problema
prison is not the answer → la cárcel no es solución
there is no easy answer → no hay una solución fácil

3. (= equivalent) cachaça is Brazil's answer to tequila → la cachaça es el tequila brasileño
Belgium's answer to Sylvester Stallone → el Sylvester Stallone belga

4. (in exam, quiz)

4.1. (= correct response) (to question) → respuesta f; (to problem) → solución f

4.2. (= individual response) → respuesta f
write your answers on the sheets provided → escriba las respuestas en las hojas que se le han proporcionado

5. (Jur) → contestación f a la demanda, réplica f

B. VT

1. (= reply to) [+ person] → contestar a, responder a; [+ question] → contestar (a), responder (a); [+ letter] → contestar (a); [+ criticism] → responder a
answer me → contéstame, respóndeme
to answer your question, I did see him → contestando or respondiendo a tu pregunta, (te diré que) sí lo vi
she never answered my letters → nunca contestaba (a) mis cartas
he answered not a word → no dijo (ni una) palabra
to answer that → responder que ..., contestar que ...
"not yet," he answered → -aún no -respondió
to answer a call for help → acudir a una llamada de socorro
to answer the door → (ir a) abrir la puerta, atender la puerta (LAm)
our prayers have been answered → nuestras súplicas han sido escuchadas
to answer the telephone → contestar el teléfono

2. (= fulfil) [+ needs] → satisfacer; [+ description] → responder a
two men answering the description of the suspects → dos hombres que respondían a la descripción de los sospechosos
it answers the purpose → sirve para su propósito → cumple su cometido

3. (Jur) to answer a charge → responder a una acusación, responder a un cargo

4. (Naut) to answer the helm → obedecer al timón

C. VI → contestar, responder
she didn't answer immediately → tardó en contestar or responder
if the phone rings, let someone else answer → si suena el teléfono, deja que conteste otro
the doorbell rang but I didn't answer → sonó el timbre pero no abrí

D. CPD answer paper N → hoja f de respuestas

answer back VI + ADV

1. (= be cheeky) (on one occasion) → replicar, contestar; (habitually) → ser respondón/ona
don't answer back! → ¡no repliques!

2. (= defend o.s.) → defenderse (contra las críticas)

answer for VI + PREP

1. (= take responsibility for) [+ actions] → responder de
I'll not answer for the consequences → no respondo de las consecuencias → no me responsabilizo de las consecuencias
to answer for the truth of sth → responder de la veracidad de algo
to answer for sb's safety → responder de la seguridad de algn
he's got a lot to answer for → tiene la culpa de muchas cosas
he must be made to answer for his crimes → le tienen que hacer pagar por sus crímenes

2. (= reply for) → responder por
I can't answer for the others, but → no puedo responder por los demás, pero ...
can't she answer for herself? → ¿no sabe responder ella sola?

3. (= serve as) → servir de

answer to VI + PREP

1. (= be accountable to) to answer to sb → responder ante algn
I answer to nobody → no tengo que darle cuentas a nadie

2. (= respond to) the steering answers to the slightest touch → la dirección responde or es sensible al más mínimo roce

3. (= be called) the dog answers to the name of Kim → el perro atiende por Kim

4. (= fit) [+ description] → responder a
he answers to the description circulated by police → responde a la descripción que ha hecho circular la policía

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

answer

[ˈɑːnsə^r]

(= reply) (to question) → réponse f
in answer to sth [+ criticism, comments] → en réponse à qch
to not take no for an answer → ne pas se contenter d'un non comme réponse
He won't take no for an answer → Il ne se contentera pas d'un non comme réponse.

(to phone call, knock at the door) there was no answer (to phone call) → ça ne répondait pas; (to knock at the door) → personne n'a ouvert

(to letter) → réponse f
in answer to your letter → suite à votre lettre, en réponse à votre lettre

(in exam, test) → réponse f

(= solution) (to problem) → solution f
There is no easy answer to this problem → Il n'y a pas de solution simple à ce problème.

(to question) → répondre

(to phone call) → répondre; (to knock at the door) → aller ouvrir
nobody's answering (on the phone) → personne ne répond; (at the door) → personne n'ouvre

(= reply to) [+ person] → répondre à; [+ question, query] → répondre à
Can you answer my question? → Peux-tu répondre à ma question ?
She didn't answer me → Elle ne m'a pas répondu.
"no thank you," he answered → "non merci", a-t-il répondu
to answer that ... → répondre que ...

[+ letter, advert] → répondre à

to answer the phone → répondre au téléphone
to answer the door, to answer the bell → aller (or venir) ouvrir, aller (or venir) ouvrir la porte
Can you answer the door please? → Tu peux aller ouvrir s'il te plaît ?

(in exam, test) [+ question] → répondre à

(= resolve) [+ problem] → résoudre

[+ prayer] → exaucer

to answer sb's needs → répondre aux besoins de qn

(= match) [+ description] → répondre à, correspondre à

answer back

vi → répondre, répliquer

answer for

vt fus [+ crime, one's actions] → répondre de
to have a lot to answer for → avoir bien des comptes à rendre

answer to

vt fus

[+ description] → répondre à, correspondre à

to answer to sb's needs → répondre aux besoins de qn

answer

(= response) (→ auf +acc) → Antwort f, → Entgegnung f (geh), → Erwiderung f (geh); (in exam) → Antwort f; to get an/no answer → Antwort/keine Antwort bekommen; there was no answer (to telephone, doorbell) → es hat sich niemand gemeldet; the answer to our prayers → ein Geschenk nt → des Himmels; the answer to a maiden’s prayer (hum) → ein Traummann m (inf), → der ideale Mann; there’s no answer to that (inf) → was soll man da groß machen/sagen! (inf); Germany’s answer to Concorde → Deutschlands Antwort auf die Concorde; they had no answer to the new striker (Ftbl) → sie hatten dem neuen Stürmer nichts or niemanden entgegenzusetzen; in answer to your letter/my question → in Beantwortung Ihres Briefes (form) → /auf meine Frage hin; she’s always got an answer → sie hat immer eine Antwort parat

(= solution) → Lösung f (→ to +gen); his answer to any problem is to ignore it → seine Reaktion auf alle Schwierigkeiten ist, sie einfach nicht wahrhaben zu wollen; there’s no easy answer → es gibt dafür keine Patentlösung; there’s only one answer for depression … → es gibt nur ein Mittel gegen Depression …

(Jur) → Einlassung f (form), → Stellungnahme f; the defendant’s answer to the charge was … → laut Einlassung des Beklagten … (form); what is your answer to the charge? → was haben Sie dazu zu sagen?

→ antworten auf (+acc); person → antworten (+dat); exam questions → beantworten, antworten auf (+acc); objections, criticism → beantworten; will you answer that? (phone, door) → gehst du ran/hin?; to answer the telephone → das Telefon abnehmen, rangehen (inf); to answer the bell or door → die Tür öffnen or aufmachen, hingehen (inf); who answered the phone? → wer war dran (inf) → or am Apparat?; (here at this end) → wer hat den Anruf entgegengenommen?; shall I answer it? (phone) → soll ich rangehen?; (door) → soll ich hingehen?; to answer the call of nature (hum) → dem Ruf der Natur folgen; 5,000 men answered the call for volunteers → 5.000 Männer meldeten sich auf den Freiwilligenaufruf hin; the fire brigade answered the alarm call → die Feuerwehr rückte auf den Alarm hin aus; …, he answered → …, antwortete er; answer me this → sagen or beantworten Sie mir eins; answer me! → antworte (mir)!, antworten Sie!; to anyone who claims … I would answer this → jemandem, der … behauptet, würde ich Folgendes erwidern or entgegen

(= fulfil) description → entsprechen (+dat); hope, expectation → erfüllen; prayer (God) → erhören; need → befriedigen; people who answer that description → Leute, auf die diese Beschreibung passt or zutrifft; this answered our prayers → das war (wie) ein Geschenk des Himmels; it answers the/our purpose → es erfüllt seinen Zweck/es erfüllt für uns seinen Zweck

(Jur) charge → sich verantworten wegen (+gen)

→ antworten; if the phone rings, don’t answer → wenn das Telefon läutet, geh nicht ran or nimm nicht ab

(= suffice) → geeignet or brauchbar sein, taugen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

answer

[ˈɑːnsəʳ]

1. n

a. (reply) → risposta
in answer to your question → in risposta or per rispondere alla tua domanda
to know all the answers (fig) → saper tutto, saperla lunga

b. (solution) → soluzione f (Math) → soluzione, risposta
there is no easy answer → non è un problema facile da risolvere

2. vt

a. (reply to) → rispondere a
our prayers have been answered → le nostre preghiere sono state esaudite
to answer the door → andare ad aprire (la porta)
to answer the phone → rispondere (al telefono)

b. (fulfil, needs) → rispondere a, soddisfare; (expectations, description) → corrispondere a, rispondere a; (purpose) → servire a, rispondere a; (problem) → risolvere; (prayer) → esaudire

3. vi → rispondere

answer back vi + adv (fam) to answer (sb) back → rispondere (a qn) (con impertinenza)

answer for vi + prep (action, crime) → rispondere di; (sb's safety) → essere responsabile di; (truth of sth) → garantire
he's got a lot to answer for → ci sono molte cose di cui deve render conto

answer to vi + prep (description) → corrispondere a; (name) → rispondere a

answer

(ˈaːnsə) noun

1. something said, written or done that is caused by a question etc from another person. She refused to give an answer to his questions.

2. the solution to a problem. The answer to your transport difficulties is to buy a car.

verb

1. to make an answer to a question, problem, action etc. Answer my questions, please; Why don't you answer the letter?

2. to open (the door), pick up (the telephone) etc in reponse to a knock, ring etc. He answered the telephone as soon as it rang; Could you answer the door, please?

3. to be suitable or all that is necessary (for). This will answer my requirements.

4. (often with to) to be the same as or correspond to (a description etc). The police have found a man answering (to) that description.

ˈanswerable adjective

(usually with to, ~for) to have the responsibility. I will be answerable to you for his good behaviour; She is answerable for the whole project.

ˈanswering ˌmachine noun

(also machine) a machine that take messages for you when you cannot answer the phone. to leave a message on the answering machine.

answer for

1. (often with to) to bear the responsibility or be responsible for (something). I'll answer to your mother for your safety.

2. to suffer or be punished (for something). You'll answer for your rudeness one day!

ˈanswerphone noun

= answering machine.

answer

→ إجَابَة, يُجيب odpověď, odpovědět svar, svare Antwort, antworten απάντηση, απαντώ contestar, respuesta vastata, vastaus répondre, réponse odgovor, odgovoriti rispondere, risposta 答え, 答える 대답, 대답하다 antwoord, antwoorden svar, svare odpowiedź, odpowiedzieć responder, resposta ответ, отвечать svar, svara คำตอบ, ตอบ yanıt, yanıt vermek câu trả lời, trả lời 回答, 答案

answer

n. contestación, respuesta.

Could you text me your answer? (US)
Can you text me your answer? (UK) → Kan De tekste mig Deres svar? → Možete li odgovoriti SMS porukom? → Mi può rispondere con un SMS? → Kunt u me het antwoord sms'en? → Kan du sende meg svaret på sms? → Kan ni skicka ett sms med svaret?