answer
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈɑːn.sə/
ipa: /ˈan.sə/
ipa: /ˈæn.sɚ/
note: æ-tensing, rhotic
ipa: [ˈeən.sɚ]
note: æ-tensing, non-rhotic
ipa: [ˈeən.sə]
ipa: /ˈæn.sə/
ipa: [ˈeːnsə ~ ˈɛːnsə]
note: trap–bath split, South Australia
ipa: [ˈɐːnsə]
rhymes: -ɑːnsə(ɹ)
rhymes: -ænsə(ɹ)
Forms: form: answers
form: answeare
form: aunswer
form: aunswere
Etymology: From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply to a question”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also Old English andwyrde (“answer”) (cognate to Dutch antwoord, German Antwort), Old English andcwiss (“reply”), German Schwur (“oath, vow”).
Senses: examples: text: Her answer to his proposal was a slap in the face.
glosses: A response or reply; something said or done in reaction to a statement or question.
examples: text: There is no simple answer to corruption.
text: Violence is not the answer to disagreements.
glosses: A solution to a problem.
examples: text: Anti-pornography crusader Mary Whitehouse, who successfully brought London's Gay News to trial recently on charges of "blasphemy," is emerging as England's answer to Anita Bryant.
ref: 1977 December 3, “England's Bryant”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 22, page 2:
glosses: Someone or something that fills a similar role or position.
raw_tags: after a possessive
with to
topics: law
glosses: A document filed in response to a complaint, responding to each point raised in the complaint and raising counterpoints.
Derived terms: sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answerability
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer key
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answerless
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer on a postcard
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answerphone
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer phone
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer print
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer sheet
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer song
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer to someone's prayers
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: answer up
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: autoanswer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: back answer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: counteranswer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: male answer syndrome
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: multianswer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: non-answer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: nonanswer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: short-answer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: take no for an answer
sense: Terms derived from answer (noun)
word: the answer to a maiden's prayer
Related terms: ask