answerable
English
Alternative forms
- aunswerable (obsolete)
Adjective
answerable (comparative more answerable, superlative most answerable)
- Obliged to answer or be called to account (to somebody); accountable, responsible.
- 1731, Jonathan Swift, “The Sentiments of a Church-of-England Man, with respect to Religion and Government” in Miscellanies, London: Benjamin Motte and Charles Bathurst, Volume I, Section 2, p. 91,
- Should any Man argue, that […] he cannot be justly punished, but is answerable only to God […]
- 1731, Jonathan Swift, “The Sentiments of a Church-of-England Man, with respect to Religion and Government” in Miscellanies, London: Benjamin Motte and Charles Bathurst, Volume I, Section 2, p. 91,
- (archaic) Correspondent, in accordance; comparable (to).
- 1634, Philemon Holland (translator), The History of the World, Commonly Called the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus, London, Book 11, Chapter 5 “Of Bees,” p. 312,
- What wit and policie of man is answerable to their discreet and orderly course?
- 1644, John Milton, Aeropagitica, London, p. 11,
- To this revelation he assented the sooner, as he confesses, because it was answerable to that of the Apostle to the Thessalonians, Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.
- 1634, Philemon Holland (translator), The History of the World, Commonly Called the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus, London, Book 11, Chapter 5 “Of Bees,” p. 312,
- (now rare) Proportionate; commensurate in amount; suitable.
- c. 1590, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act II, Scene 1,
- […] at my farm
- I have a hundred milch-kine to the pail,
- Six score fat oxen standing in my stalls,
- And all things answerable to this portion.
- 1595, George Peele, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Malone Society Reprints, 1908, lines 283-288,
- By my other wife I had a daughter, so hard favoured, so foule and ill faced, that I thinke a grove full of golden trees; and the leaves of Rubies and Dyamonds, would not bee a dowrie aunswerable to her deformitie.
- c. 1590, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act II, Scene 1,
- (rare) Capable of being answered or refuted; admitting a satisfactory answer.
- 1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, London, Volume I, under the entry “Answerable,” sense 1,
- The argument, though subtle, is yet answerable.
- 2013, Marc Moeller, Victor Moeller, Middle School English Teacher's Guide to Active Learning (page 67)
- Is my question answerable on basis of the reading alone or does it go outside the information given in the story?
- 1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, London, Volume I, under the entry “Answerable,” sense 1,
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
obliged to answer; liable to be called to account; liable to pay, indemnify, or make good
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capable of being answered or refuted; admitting a satisfactory answer
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correspondent; conformable; hence, comparable
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proportionate; commensurate; suitable
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