The noun answer has 5 senses (first 3 from tagged texts)
1. (31) answer, reply, response -- (a statement (either spoken or written) that is made in reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation; "I waited several days for his answer"; "he wrote replies to several of his critics")
2. (24) solution, answer, result, resolution, solvent -- (a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem; "they were trying to find a peaceful solution"; "the answers were in the back of the book"; "he computed the result to four decimal places")
3. (12) answer -- (the speech act of replying to a question)
4. answer -- (the principle pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims)
5. answer -- (a nonverbal reaction; "his answer to any problem was to get drunk"; "their answer was to sue me")
Overview of verb answer
The verb answer has 10 senses (first 5 from tagged texts)
1. (63) answer, reply, respond -- (reply or respond to; "She didn't want to answer"; "answer the question"; "We answered that we would accept the invitation")
2. (8) answer -- (give the correct answer or solution to; "answer a question"; "answer the riddle")
3. (7) answer -- (respond to a signal; "answer the door"; "answer the telephone")
4. (5) answer, resolve -- (understand the meaning of; "The question concerning the meaning of life cannot be answered")
5. (4) answer -- (give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument); "The defendant answered to all the charges of the prosecution")
6. answer -- (be liable or accountable; "She must answer for her actions")
7. suffice, do, answer, serve -- (be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity; "A few words would answer"; "This car suits my purpose well"; "Will $100 do?"; "A 'B' grade doesn't suffice to get me into medical school"; "Nothing else will serve")
8. answer -- (match or correspond; "The drawing of the suspect answers to the description the victim gave")
9. answer -- (be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of; "This may answer her needs")
10. answer -- (react to a stimulus or command; "The steering of my new car answers to the slightest touch")