to answer

Definition of to answer in English English dictionary: A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints; A response; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question
Her answer to his proposal was a slap in the face.; To suit a need or purpose satisfactorily
Theobald spoke as if watches had half-a-dozen purposes besides time-keeping, but he could hardly open his mouth without using one or other of his tags, and answering every purpose was one of them.; Reply to an email. (reply); To make a reply or response to
He answered the question.; To file a document in response to a complaint; To respond to a call by someone at a door or telephone, or other similar piece of equipment
She answered the door.; To correspond to; to be in harmony with; to be in agreement with
I wish she had answered her picture as well.; {n} a reply, return, confutation, solution; {v} to reply, solve, fulfil, succeed, suit, witness for, be accountable; accounts; To be or act in return; be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions; In a fugue, the second entry of the subject; To be opposite to; to face; The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense; In Equity, it is the usual form of defense to the complainant's charges in his bill; To be opposite, or to act in opposition; To be or act an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay; To atone; to be punished for; An answer is a letter that you write to someone who has written to you. I wrote to him but I never had an answer back She wrote to Roosevelt's secretary in answer to his letter of the day before. = reply, response; 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"; Your answer to something that someone has said or done is what you say or do in response to it or in defence of yourself. In answer to speculation that she wouldn't finish the race, she boldly declared her intention of winning it. = reply, response; To make a satisfactory response or return; {f} respond, reply; solve, provide a solution; To speak or write by way of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to make response; 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"; react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch"; the defendant's response to the plaintiff's compliant The answer admits or denies the claims in the plaintiff's complaint; If you answer a letter or advertisement, you write to the person who wrote it. She answered an advert for a job as a cook; A pleading by which defendant responds to the plaintiff's complaint; To be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit; the written response to a complaint, petition, or motion; A written pleading filed by the responding party in a civil case addressing the facts alleged in the complaint; To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; usually with to; 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; the speech act of replying to a question; The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint, or written motion, and setting forth the grounds for defense or response; When you answer the telephone, you pick it up when it rings. When you answer the door, you open it when you hear a knock or the bell. She answered her phone on the first ring A middle-aged woman answered the door. Answer is also a noun. I knocked at the front door and there was no answer; To be or act as an equivalent, or as adequate or sufficient; as, a very few will 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"; If someone or something answers a particular description or answers to it, they have the characteristics described. Two men answering the description of the suspects tried to enter Switzerland The Japanese never built any aircraft remotely answering to this description. = fit; If you say that someone will not take no for an answer, you mean that they go on trying to make you agree to something even after you have refused. He would never take no for an answer; give the correct answer or solution to; "answer a question"; "answer the riddle"; a nonverbal reaction; "his answer to any problem was to get drunk"; "their answer was to sue me"; match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave"; a nonverbal reaction; "his answer to any problem was to get drunk"; "their answer was to sue me" 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 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" the speech act of replying to a question understand the meaning of; "The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered" give the correct answer or solution to; "answer a question"; "answer the riddle" react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch" respond to a signal; "answer the door"; "answer the telephone" give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution" reply or respond to; "She didn't want to answer"; "answer the question"; "We answered that we would accept the invitation" be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of; "This may answer her needs" match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave" be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions; An answer is something that you say when you answer someone. Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went in through the door I don't quite know what to say in answer to your question. = reply, response; If you answer something that someone has said or done, you respond to it. He answered her smile with one of his own That statement seemed designed to answer criticism of allied bombing missions. = counter; When you answer someone who has asked you something, you say something back to them. Just answer the question He paused before answering `When?' asked Alba, `Tonight', answered Tom Williams answered that he had no specific proposals yet; 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 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"; A formal, written statement by the defendant in a lawsuit which answers each allegation contained in the complaint; give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution"; A formal response to a claim, admitting or denying the allegations in the claim; Written response in a civil case; in it the defendant admits or denies allegations made by the plaintiff; A pleadingthat is, a paper filed with the court, in this case by the defendant responding to the allegations the plaintiff made in the complaint; A respondent's written reply to a claim (See arbitration, claim); Written document filed in response to a complaint, consisting of short plain statements denying the allegations in the complaint which the employer contests; If something answers a need or purpose, it satisfies it, because it has the right qualities. We provide specially designed shopping trolleys to answer the needs of parents with young children. = satisfy; be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions"; Pleading The response of a defendant to the plaintiff's complaint, denying in part or in whole the allegations made by the plaintiff; To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like; to refute; a document used to respond to a complaint Answers usually admit or deny specific allegations or claims in the document being answered; 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; To be or act in return or response to; An answer to a problem is a solution to it. There are no easy answers to the problems facing the economy Prison is not the answer for most young offenders; A solution to a problem; A statement made by the defendant in response to a complaint or action which has been brought against the defendant It states why the defendant should not be held liable (LE); A written statement made by the defendant in a civil case in response to the charges or complaints filed; Something said or written in reply to a question, a call, an argument, an address, or the like; a reply