Answer

Answer - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

'ANSWER, v.t. ansur.

1. To speak in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration or argument of another person; as, ""I have called and ye have not answered."" ""He answered the question or the argument."" This may be in agreement and confirmation of what was said, or in opposition to it.

2. To be equivalent to; to be adequate to, or sufficient to accomplish the object. ""Money answereth all things,"" noting, primarily, return.

3. To comply with, fulfill, pay or satisfy; as, he answered my order; to answer a debt.

4. To act in return, or opposition; as, the enemy answered our fire by a shower of grape shot.

5. To bear a due proportion to; to be equal or adequate; to suit; as, a weapon does not answer the size and strength of the man using it; the success does not answer our expectation.

6. To perform what was intended; to accomplish; as, the measure does not answer its end; it does not answer the purpose.

7. To be opposite to; to face; as, fire answers fire.

8. To write in reply; to reply to another writing, by way of explanation, refutation or justification; as, to answer a pamphlet.

9. To solve, as a proposition or problem in mathematics.

This word may be applied to a great variety of objects, expressing the idea of a return; as the notes, or sounds of birds, and other animals; an echo, _c.

'ANSWER, v.i.

1. To reply; to speak by way of return; as, there is none to answer. 1 Ki 18.

2. To be accountable, liable or responsible; followed by to before the person, and for before the thing for which one is liable; as, the man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care; we can not answer to God for our offenses.

3. To vindicate, or give a justificatory account of; followed by for; as, a man cannot answer for his friend.

4. To correspond with; to suit with; followed by to.

In water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. Prov 27.

5. To act reciprocally, as the strings of an instrument to the hand.

6. To stand as opposite or correlative; as, allegiance in the subject answers to protection on the part of the prince or government.

7. To return, as sound reverberated; to echo.

The noise seems to fly away, and answer at a great distance.

8. To succeed; to effect the object intended; to have a good effect; as, gypsum answers as a manure on a dry soil.

ANSWER, n.

1. A reply; that which is said, in return to a call, a question, an argument or an allegation.

A soft answer turneth away wrath. Prov.

I called him, but he gave me no answer. Song 5.

2. An account to be rendered to justice.

He will call you to so hot an answer for it.

3. In law, a counter-statement of facts, in a course of pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has alleged.

4. A writing, pamphlet or book, in reply to another.

5. A reverberated sound; an echo.

6. A return; that which is sent in consequence of some petition, as a blessing is sent in answer to prayer.

7. A solution, the result of a mathematical operation.

8. The reply of a legislative body or house to an address or message of the supreme magistrate.

an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question.

1. In the Old Testament:

Six different words are translated by answer.

(1) It is frequently used where no question has been asked and in such cases it means a word, a statement.

(2) It also means a response (Job 21:34; 34:36).

(3) It often means a declaration or proclamation from God where no question has been asked. See the many passages that read: "The Lord answered and said."

(4) The other words translated "answer" or "answered" in the Old Testament are unimportant shadings and variations.

2. In the New Testament:

The words translated "answer" are not so varied.

(1) It sometimes means an apology, a defense (1Pe 3:15; Ac 24:10,25).

(2) It may mean simply "to say" (Mr 9:6).

(3) It may mean a revelation from God (Ro 11:4).

(4) It is also used to apply to unspoken thoughts of the heart, especially in the sayings of Jesus; also by Peter to Sapphira (Ac 5:8).

G. H. Gerberding