Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Old English andswerian (from Proto-Germanic *andaswarjaną) and Old English andswarian (from Proto-Germanic *andaswarōną); equivalent to and- +‎ swaren or answere +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈan(d)ˌswɛːrən/, /ˈan(d)ˌswæːrən/, /ˈan(d)ˌswaːrən/

Verb

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answeren (third-person singular simple present answereth, present participle answerende, answerynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle answered)

  1. To answer or respond; to offer a response:
    1. (especially law) To provide an explanation; to justify or refute.
    2. (religion) To explain oneself at the Last Judgement.
    3. (rare) To respond to a request for assistance.
    4. (rare) To provide one's choice as a response.
  2. To be responsible for (a task, another person):
    1. (religion) To be liable for; to suffer for.
    2. (rare) To be required to appear.
  3. To match or correspond to (in number or nature)
  4. (rare, of crops) To net; to provide sustenance.
  5. (rare) To pay a tariff or fee on goods.

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • English: answer
  • Scots: answer

References

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