answer for

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

1. (transitive, intransitive) To be held responsible for; to take the blame for something.

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

   • 1984, Morrissey, Johnny Marr (lyrics and music), “Suffer Little Children”, in The Smiths, performed by The Smiths:

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

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

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

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

     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.

2. (transitive) To guarantee.

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

3. (transitive) To 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.

• The verb and particle are usually not separated.

• forewarns