[also VN that] 2 [VN] (formal) to be suitable for sth; to match sth ii o'; ft if; tt#±; ffijE: Does this answer your requirements? ik'h# o'^ ? IffiTCl answer to the name of sth (especially of a pet animal Xffi'MW to be called sth £nM; ntj# — more at description IJililVI .answer 'back to defend yourself against criticism A li B    He was given the

chance to answer back in a radio interview. f£

.answer'back | .answer sb back to speak rudely to sb in authority, especially when they are criticizing you or telling you to do sth ]M ^; mo*; : Don’t answer back! £i] HO P$! o Stop answering your mother back!        'answer

for sth 1 to accept responsibility or blame for sth # ■ • • ft ta ; HI            3\ i* m : You will have to answer for your

behaviour one day. 0

This government has a lot to answer for (= is respon­sible for a lot of bad things).

jftjf o 2 to promise that sb has a particular quality or can be relied on to do sth jg. {£, HE ( ^ A (ft pm M ^ ) : I can answer for her honesty. f£gTWjfi$:jttkAA 'answer for sb (usually in negative sentences 11 to say that sb else will do sth or have a particular opinion -        W&jSL: I agree,

but I can’t answer for my colleagues. [fj M, {! Ji ffo A fift^fSI^WllftlcJiLo ‘answer to sb (for sthj to have to explain your actions or decisions to sb fp]^A (

# )    All sales clerks answer to the store manager.

an swer able /'ainsarabl; NAmE 'aen-/ adj. 1 [not before noun] ~ to sb (for sth) having to explain your actions to sb in authority over you (n] ^ A ( # ^ ijl ) A rM: She was a free agent, answerable to no one for her behaviour. MJtA£fEb#A,      2 [not before

noun] ~ (for sth) responsible for sth and ready to accept punishment or criticism for it (

jg JET ^ :  Ministers must be made answerable for their

decisions.    3 (of a

question |n]g£) that can be answered

answering machine (BrE also answer-phone /'ainsafaun; NAmE 'aensarfoun/) noun a machine which you connect to your telephone to answer your calls and record any message left by the person calling $fl: I called several times, but only got the answering

machine.

answer-phone /'ainsafaun; NAmE 'aensarfoun/ noun {BrE) = answering machine :        She left her name and

number on his answerphone. MJEI B

ant /aent/ noun a small insect that lives in highly organ­ized groups. There are many types of ant. 4*1   :       an

ants’ nest O an ant colony —picture o page R29 —see also anthill IT5TO1 have 'ants in your pants (informal) to be very excited or impatient about sth and unable to stay still

-ant, -ent suffix 1 (in adjectives $3        # ia]) that is or

does sth H •••   ; ft ••• I# : significant fi M Xtf} 0

different A 1^1 2 (in nouns $3 ^ % -iSJ) a person or thing that • A; • ■ • ^ : inhabitant Jg R, 0 deterrent

imm®

ant-acid /aent'aesid/ noun a medicine that prevents or corrects acidity, especially in the stomach MffltWy, t/C

mm

antagonism /aen'taegamzam/ noun [U, pi.] ~ (to/ toward(s) sb/sth) | ~ (between A and B) feelings of

hatred and opposition #£'fjNt; #irL‘lf£t; ft#; ft;§ HTO hostility: The antagonism he felt towards his old enemy was still very strong.     AlfrljM

£<[0 the racial antagonisms in society

xm

an tag on ist /aen'taegamst/ noun {formal) a person who strongly opposes sb/sth # tnl #; # A; A

tTOl OPPONENT

an-tag-on-is-tic /aen.taega'mstik/ adj. ~ (to/toward(s) sb/sth) (formal) showing or feeling opposition #

W; #J/l$J; ft#ft); ft^W B03hostile ► an-tag-on- is-tic-al-ly /-kli/ adv.