Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Answerable
An′swer-a-ble
,Adj.
1.
Obliged to answer; liable to be called to account; liable to pay, indemnify, or make good; accountable; amenable; responsible;
as, an agent is
answerable
to his principal; to be answerable
for a debt, or for damages.Will any man argue that . . . he can not be justly punished, but is
answerable
only to God? Swift.
2.
Capable of being answered or refuted; admitting a satisfactory answer.
The argument, though subtle, is yet
answerable
. Johnson.
3.
Correspondent; conformable; hence, comparable.
What wit and policy of man is
answerable
to their discreet and orderly course? Holland.
This revelation . . . was
answerable
to that of the apostle to the Thessalonians. Milton.
4.
Proportionate; commensurate; suitable;
as, an achievement
. answerable
to the preparation for it5.
Equal; equivalent; adequate.
[Archaic]
Had the valor of his soldiers been
answerable
, he had reached that year, as was thought, the utmost bounds of Britain. Milton.
Webster 1828 Edition
Answerable
'ANSWERABLE
, a.1.
That may be answered; that to which a reply may be made, usually implying that the answer may be satisfactory; as, an answerable argument.2.
Obliged to give an account, or liable to be called to account; amenable; responsible; as, an agent is answerable to his principal.3.
Obliged or liable to pay, indemnify or make good; as, to be answerable for a debt or for damages.4.
Correspondent; agreeing with; in conformity with; as, the features expressed in a picture are answerable to the original.5.
Suitable; suited; proportionate; as, an achievement answerable to the preparation for it.6.
Equal; correspondent; proportionate; as, the success is answerable to my desires.