answer for

present singular third person answers for · participle present answering for · participle past answered for · past answered for

1. ambitransitiveTo be held responsible for; to take the blame for something.

   The mayor will be answering for his crimes for many years.

   3 more examples

   Oh John, you'll never be a man / And you'll never see your home again / Oh Manchester, so much to answer for

   1984, Morrissey, Johnny Marr, “Suffer Little Children”, in The Smiths, performed by The Smiths

   Duffy dared to think that Queen Elizabeth I has a few things for which to answer

   2007 September, Wilson D Miscamble, “The Faculty 'Problem'”, in America, volume 197, number 6, page 26

   It’s true Modi has much to answer for. But still there is something disturbing about the fact that India is on track for up to half a million cases a day on some projections, while Britons young enough to have practically zero chance of dying from Covid get vaccinated.

   2021 April 26, Gaby Hinsliff, “Vaccine hoarding is all the more disturbing as a Covid disaster unfolds in India”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

2. transitiveTo guarantee.

   I will answer for his debt, if he can't pay on the day.

3. transitiveTo vouch for (someone); to attest to the character of (someone).

   She's known me for years, and she's always answered for me!

4. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see answer, for.

   I don't know the answer to that, so I'm going to let my lawyer answer for me.