answer to

Verb

answer to (third-person singular simple present answers to, present participle answering to, simple past and past participle answered to)

1. To be accountable or responsible to; to account to; to report to.
   • I'm above you in the hierarchy, Jim, so you should be answering to me.
   • Shepard: Do you know anything about Spectres?
     Avina: The term Spectre is derived from the branch of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. Each Sepctre agent is hand-picked by the Council.
     Avina: Their primary role is preserving galactic stability and resolving volatile situations that cannot be...2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Presidium Tourism Terminal I
2. To justify oneself to (someone). (usually with have to)
   • You're going to have to answer to all of these charges to my satisfaction.
   • You can crush us / You can bruise us / But you'll have to answer to / Oh, the guns of Brixton1979, Paul Simonon, “The Guns of Brixton”, performed by The Clash
3. To respond to (a name); to treat as one's own name.
   • She's answered to Katie her entire life.