0 present participle of answer
1 to say, write, or do something as a reaction to a question, letter, etc.:
I can't answer (you) without more detailed information.
You haven't answered my question.
I texted asking whether he'd be coming to the party but he hasn't answered yet.
[ + speech ] "I'd love to have dinner with you, but I won't be able to get there before nine o'clock," she answered.
[ + that ] She answered that she wouldn't be able to come before nine o'clock.
formal Does anyone here answer to the name of (= is anyone here called) Wallis?
3 to match a description:
A woman who answers to the suspect's description was seen in the area on the night of the crime.
I went downstairs to answer the phone.
Students are advised to answer all questions as fully as possible.
When no one answered the door, she peered through the window to see if anyone was there.
Answering these questions will be key to increasing adoption of biologically integrated farming systems.
Answering this involves stepping outside the discipline of the system designer and understanding the social, material and organisational aspects of medical work.
Answering this question will help provide us with an understanding of what produces both the similarities and differences in sleep mentation across sleep stages.