| 释义 |
answerable, a.|ˈɑːnsərəb(ə)l, æ-|
Also 6 aunswerable.
[f. answer v. and n. + -able (an early instance of this as a living Eng. suffix).]
I. Liable to answer to a charge.
1. Liable to be called to account; under legal or moral obligation; responsible, accountable.
a. absol. or with subord. clause.
1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 571 If he haue robb'd these men, He shall be answerable. 1601F. Tate Househ. Ord. Ed. II, §12 (1876) 12 He shalbe aunswerable if any peril happen. 1781T. Pickering in Sparks Corr. Amer. Rev. (1853) III. 419 He was answerable with his head, if the King's army were not duly supplied. 1828Scott F.M. Perth I. 105, I will be answerable that this galliard meant but some Saint Valentine's jest.
b. to an authority.
1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Hebr. xii. (R.) You must nedes be answerable vnto your hie prieste and his lawe. 1640–1Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855) 75 The Committie ordaines Barquhillantie..to be answerable to the Commissar Depute. 1775Adair Amer. Ind. 239, I imagined I should be answerable to myself for every accident that might befal them. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xiii. 277 For the good administration of which the magistrate..was answerable to the power which appointed him.
c. for an act or its results, a debt, or any implied duty or obligation.
a1667Jer. Taylor Serm. Ded., He is highly answerable for his talent. 1699Bentley Phal. 378 Mr. B...at least is answerable for the Language of his Book. 1722De Foe Moll. Fl. (1840) 178 She would be answerable for her on all accounts. 1768Blackstone Comm. II. 459 The ship and tackle..are answerable (as well as the person of the borrower) for the money lent. 1837J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (ed. 3) I. ii. 25 Both Scripture and conscience tell us we are answerable for what we do. 1863Kemble Resid. Georgia 24 Slavery is answerable for all the evils.
II. Capable of answering requirements, purposes.
2. Such as responds to demands, needs, wishes; suitable, fitting, proper, becoming.
a. absol. arch.
1571Digges Geom. Pract. iv. xxiv. E e iij, Ye shall there in his answerable Chapiter, receiue rules for the inuention of his capacitie superficiall. 1594Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1616) 102 If he who hath any answerable nature, giue himselfe to make verses. 1691Wood Ath. Oxon. II/740 Attended with an answerable train, in rich Liveries. 1756Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 47 His reception was answerable. 1828Carlyle Misc. I. (1857) 193 The most answerable things in the world.
b. with to. arch.
1575Thynne in Animadv. Introd. 54 Thee performance wherof shall..bee..answerable unto your callinge, and profitable unto mee. 1628tr. Camden's Hist. Eliz. ii. (1688) 228 A Guard answerable to his Royal Dignity. 1658J. Rowland Mouffet's Theat. Ins. 907 A death answerable to his life. 1754Richardson Grandison II. xxxii. 311 Her treatment..was not answerable to her merits.
3. Corresponding, correspondent, accordant, agreeable.
a. absol. arch.
a1586Sidney (J.) A likeness..answerable enough in some features and colours, but erring in others. 1612T. Taylor Comm. Titus ii. 12 (1619) 467 The Gospel bringeth saluation, but looketh for an answerable returne. 1673Cave Prim. Chr. ii. i. 4 Humility—a mean estimation of ourselves and an answerable Carriage towards others. 1775Adair Amer. Ind. 90 If the seasons have been answerable..the old women pay their reputed prophet. 1827Hare Gues. Truth (1859) 264 It is a difficulty which presses on all such as have ever made a venture into the higher regions of thought, to discover anything like answerable realities,—to atone their ideas with their perceptions.
b. with to. arch.
1580Lyly Euph. 252 If the courtesie of Englande be aunswerable to the custome of Pilgrimes. 1638Chillingw. Relig. Prot. i. i. §1. 30, I feare your proceedings will be answerable to these beginnings! 1718Free-thinker No. 80. 177 Some young Princess whose Birth is answerable to your own. 1869A. Morris Open Secret i. 13 The themes..are..too momentous to be introduced into common..talk in a manner answerable to their sacredness.
4. Corresponding in quantity or amount; proportional, commensurate.
a. absol. arch.
1604Edmonds Observ. Cæsar's Comm. 7 Eminent and extraordinarie attempts..are thought worthie their answerable rewards. 1622Heylin Cosmogr. ii. (1682) 49 Stretched out in great length..but not of answerable breadth. a1716South Wks. 1717 VI. 400 But their success was answerable.
b. with to.
1617J. Taylor (Water P.) Lond. to Hamburgh C, His post-like legges were answerable to the rest of the great frame which they supported. 1693Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. 78 With a thickness answerable to their height. 1769Sir J. Reynolds Disc. (1876) 314 Render your future progress answerable to your past improvement. 1844Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. II. xiv. (1858) 300 The success of their labours was answerable to the purity of their motives.
5. Equivalent, equal; adequate, sufficient (to). arch.
1581Marbeck Bk. of Notes 909 This word Reward..the schoolemen, doe fondly set it to be aunswerable to a deseruing which they call merite. 1594Blundevil Exerc. i. xii. (ed. 7) 37 One whole Integrum, which being added to 2344, will be answerable to the second number of the Question. 1645Rutherford Trial & Tri. Faith (1845) 5 An answerable number of men and angels. 1801Wellington Desp. 613 The revenue of that Island will [not] be found answerable to its necessary expenditure.
†6. quasi-adv. Answerably; conformably. Obs.
1640–1Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855) 61 That they may be..punished answerable to thair deservings. 1681Manton Serm. Ps. cxix. 166 Wks. IX. 226 Live answerable to your hope.
III. passively.
7. Able to be answered. rare.
1697J. Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. (L.) His best reasons are answerable; his worst are not worthy of being answered. 1881Spect. 19 Nov. 1456/1 An Austrian statesman..suggests solid, if answerable, reasons. |