Forms: 1 and-, ondswaru, -suaru, 2 ondswore, 2–3 andsware, -swere, 3 ændswere, ænsware, enswere, 3–4 onswere, 3–5 answare, 3–7 answere, -uer(e, 4 answar, -suar, vnswere, (on-, ansquare, -quer), 5 on-, aunsware, 5–6 aunswer(e, 6 answeare, 4– answer. [OE. a·ndswaru, cogn. with OS. antswôr, OFris. (ontswer) ondser, ON. andsvar, annsvar, Dan. and Sw. ansvar, OTeut. *andswarâ-; f. and- against, in reply + *swarâ- affirmation, swearing, f. OTeut. *swarjan, Goth. swaran, OE. swęrian to affirm, swear. The original meaning was thus a solemn affirmation made to rebut a charge.]
1. A reply made to a charge, whereby the accused seeks to clear himself; a defence. spec. in Law, The counter-statement made in reply to a complainant’s bill of charges.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 5779. Of whilk þai sal þan answer gyf.
c. 1360. Mercy, in E. E. P. (1862), 120. Let seo what vnswere constou make.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 401. To dampne a man with-oute answere [v.r. aunswer, ansuere] or word.
a. 1400. Cov. Myst., 18. Ded men xul rysyn … And ffast to here ansuere thei xul hem dyth.
1580. Baret, Alv., A 433. The answere of the defendant, Intentionis depulsio.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. i. 203. Call these foule Offendors to their Answeres.
1611. Bible, 2 Tim. iv. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me. [So Rhem.; Tindale, Genev., answerynge; Wyclif, Revised, defence.]
1694. W. Brown (title), The Clerk’s Tutor in Chancery, giving true Directions how to draw affidavits, petitions … bills, answers.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Chancery, An answer generally controverts the facts stated in the bill, or some of them.
1876. J. Parker, Paraclete, I. xiii. 201. To the charge that Christianity takes a low view of human nature, the cross of Christ is the answer of God.
2. A reply to an objection rebutting its force; a reply in writing or debate, setting forth arguments opposed to those previously advanced.
1534. More (title), The Answer to the First Part of the Poysoned Booke.
1578. Timme, Calvin on Gen., 214. If any man object … the aunswere is easy to be made.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. 1653, Pref. 13. A loving answer to all such as shall hereafter find fault with his Book.
1798. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Tales of Hoy, Wks. 1812, IV. 425. An answer is inserted, he answers the answer with blacker inventions.
1846. L. Lockhart (title), An Answer to the Protest of the Free Church.
Mod. A sufficient answer to all your objections.
3. A reply (spoken, written, or otherwise given) to a question. (The most common use.)
a. 800. Beowulf, 5713. Grim andswaru.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., John xix. 9. Se hælend ondsuare ne salde him [Rushw. ondswora].
c. 1000. Ags. G., ibid. Him ne sealde nane andsware.
c. 1160. Hatton G. Nane andswere.
c. 1230. Ancr. R., 8. Him þuncheð wunder … of swuch onswere.
c. 1325. Leg. Rood (1871), 111. Þe messagers him gaf ansquare.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, II. 60. Quhen thai hard nane mak ansuer, Thai brak the dur.
1580. J. Frampton, Joyf. Newes, in James I.’s Counterbl. (Arb.), 82. Geuing them continually doubtfull answeares.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. ii. 42. I will bee a foole in question, hoping to bee the wiser by your answer.
1714. Spect., No. 625, ¶ 1. The following Letter of Queries, with his Answers to each Question.
1850. T. T. Lynch, Theoph. Trin., 5. To this question there is no answer.
4. A reply to an appeal, address, remark, letter, etc.; anything said or written in reference to, or acknowledgement of, what another has said or written; a response, rejoinder.
c. 1200. Ormin, 12016. Alls iff þe Laferrd ȝæfe þuss Anndsware onnȝæn þe deofell.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. xv. 1. A nesshe onswere breketh wrathe. Ibid. (1388). A soft answere brekith ire.
1400. Ld. Grey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. i. I. 5. An other lettre that I have send to hym agayn of an Answare.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 106. So plesaunt of ansuere unto her husbonde.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. vii. 72. Had you beene as wise as bold … Your answere had not beene inscrold.
1611. Bible, Job xix. 16. I called my seruant, and he gaue me no answere.
1771. Junius Lett., liv. 281. His letter to me does not deserve an answer.
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 995. He flung a wrathful answer back.
5. The reply to an implied question; decision upon a point at issue.
1466. Mercers’ Accts., in Blades, Caxton, 151. As for yor desire of aunsware of the lordes intent.
1599. Shaks., Mids. N., IV. i. 143. Is not this the day That Hermia should giue answer of her choice?
a. 1842. Tennyson, Two Voices, 309. There must be answer to his doubt.
1875. Maine, Hist. Inst., ii. 42. The Responsa Prudentum—the accumulated answers (= judgments in Brehon law) of many successive generations of famous Roman lawyers.
6. The solution of a problem of any kind; and, by extension: Any work solving a problem or performing an exercise set to test knowledge.
1592. R. Field (title), Firste Booke of Arithmeticke; sheweing the ingenius inventions and figurative operations by whiche to calculate the true Solution or Answers to Arithmeticall Questions.
1686. I. Speidel (title), An Arithmetical Extraction; or, a Collection of 800 Questions with their Answers.
1742. Bailey, Answer … the Solution of a Mathematical Question, an Ænigma, &c.
1881. L. Hensley (title), The Scholar’s Arithmetic, with Answers to the Examples.
7. A practical reply; anything done in return; a responsive, corresponding, or resulting action. In Fencing, the return hit.
1535. Coverdale, Gen. xli. 16. God shall geue Pharao a prosperous answere.
1602. Shaks., Haml., V. ii. 280. If Hamlet give the first or second hit, or quit in answer of the third exchange. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., V. iii. 79. Great the slaughter is Heere made by ’th’ Romane; great the answer be Britaines must take.
1845. Darwin, Voy. Nat., iv. 64. The answer was given by a volley of musketry.
8. A re-echoing or reproduction of sounds.
1869. Ouseley, Counterpoint, etc., xix. 152. Essentially and primarily the answer may be regarded as a transposition of the subject.
1880. Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 69/2. An answer in music is, in strict counterpoint, the repetition by one part or instrument of a theme proposed by another.
9. Comb. answer-jobber, one who makes a trade of writing answers.
1711. Swift, Barrier Treaty, in Misc. (1748), IX. 146 (J.). But what disgusts me from having any Thing to do with this Race of Answer-Jobbers, is, that they have no sort of Conscience in their Dealings.
