to speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as, to answer a charge; to answer an accusation.-to speak or write in return to, as in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration, argument, or the like; to reply to (a question, remark, etc.); to respond to.-to respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like; to refute.-to be or act in return or response to.-to be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, demand; as, he answered my claim upon him; the servant answered the bell.-to render account to or for.-to atone; to be punished for.-to be opposite to; to face.-to be or act an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay.-to be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit.-to speak or write by way of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to make response.-to make a satisfactory response or return.-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.-to be or act by way of compliance, fulfillment, reciprocation, or satisfaction; to serve the purpose; as, gypsum answers as a manure on some soils.-to be opposite, or to act in opposition.-to be or act as an equivalent, or as adequate or sufficient; as, a very few will answer.-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 reply to a change; a defense.-something said or written in reply to a question, a call, an argument, an address, or the like; a reply.-something done in return for, or in consequence of, something else; a responsive action.-a solution, the result of a mathematical operation; as, the answer to a problem.-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. in equity, it is the usual form of defense to the complainant's charges in his bill.