Answer | Mean of answer in English Dictionary

/ˈænsɚ/

• Noun
• something you say or write when someone asks you a question
1. I asked him a simple question and he gave me a long and confusing answer.
2. I didn't believe her answer.
3. They wouldn't give me a straight answer to my question.
4. There will be a question and answer session [=a period of time when people can have their questions answered] following the speech.
• a response to a question that is meant to show whether or not you know something (such as a question asked as part of an exam)
1. I didn't know the right/correct answer.
2. That is the wrong/incorrect answer.
• the correct response to a question
1. Do you know the answer to this question?
2. He knew the answers to only 3 of the 10 questions.
3. The answers are listed in the back of the book.

• something you say or write as a reaction to something someone else has said or done
1. I sent a letter of complaint but I never got an answer. [=response]
2. I finally received an answer [=reply] to my letter.
3. When I say something to you I expect an answer. [=response]
4. I called out her name but I got no answer. [=reply]
5. In answer [=in response] to your request we are sending a catalog.
• something you do in response to something that has happened
1. I called several times but there was no answer. [=no one answered the phone when I called]
2. I got no answer when I called.
3. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. [=no one opened the door when I knocked on it]
4. The company had no answer when its competitors lowered their prices.
5. When she called him a liar, his only answer was to walk out.
6. Our team had no answer for the other team's strong offense. [=our team could not win because of the other team's strong offense]
• a solution to a problem
1. More money is not the answer (to our problems).
2. It's a very difficult problem, and I don't know what the answer is.
3. They don't have answers for everything. = They don't have an answer for everything.
4. For a tough issue like this there are no easy answers.
5. He thinks he has/knows all the answers. [=he thinks that he knows the solution to every problem]
6. If you've been wanting to get your schedule organized, this new software is the answer to (all) your prayers.
7. They were desperate to find a good lawyer, and they thought she might be the answer to their prayers.
• something or someone that resembles a well-known or successful thing or person
1. The program is television's answer to news magazines. [=the program is similar to a news magazine]
• Verb
• to say or write something when someone asks you a question
1. She answered all my questions.
2. He answered only three of the test questions correctly.
3. When the police asked him his name, he refused to answer.
4. She answered correctly/incorrectly.
• to say or write (something) as a reply
1. When asked if she would run for office, she answered that she hadn't decided. = When asked if she would run for office, she answered “I haven't decided.”
• to reply to (someone)
1. When I ask you a question I expect you to answer me!
2. Answer me this: where have you put my money?
• to write a response to a letter, e-mail message, etc.
1. I sent her a letter asking for her help, but she never answered.
2. She never answered my letter. = She never answered me.
• to pick up (a ringing telephone)
1. The phone rang repeatedly, but no one answered.
2. Would somebody please answer the phone?
3. answer a phone call
• to open a door when someone knocks on it
1. I knocked on the door but no one answered.
2. No one answered the door.
• to act in response to (something)
1. I got the job by answering a “help wanted” ad in the newspaper.
2. When the war began, thousands of young men answered the call to arms. [=thousands of young men joined the armed forces]
3. He answered her anger with indifference. [=he responded to her anger by acting indifferent]
4. The home team scored first but the visiting team answered quickly. [=the visiting team also scored soon after the home team scored]
• to say something in response to (something, such as an accusation)
1. The police chief will appear in court today to answer charges of corruption.
2. answer criticism
• to be the same as (something)
1. The suspect answered [=matched] the description that had been given by the witness.
• to be what is needed for (something)
1. We don't have a sink, but this bucket will answer [=(more commonly) serve] the purpose. [=we can use this bucket as a sink]
• to reply to someone especially in a rude way
1. impolite children who answer back [=talk back] when their teacher corrects them
• to reply rudely to (someone)
1. He became angry when she answered him back.
• to take responsibility for (something)
1. I can't answer for their safety. [=I can't promise that they will be safe]
2. The company will have to answer for any damage done by its employees.
3. She has a lot to answer for. [=she is responsible for many bad things that have happened]
• to be punished for (something)
1. He must answer for his crimes.
• to be used as (something)
1. The old bucket answered for a sink. [=the old bucket was used as a sink]
• to say what someone else thinks
1. I like the proposal myself, but I can't answer for my boss.
• to provide what someone hopes or prays for
1. They hoped that God would answer their prayers and restore their son's health.
2. Their prayers were answered when their son's health was restored.
• to be required to explain your actions to (someone)
1. He has to answer to a tough boss.