一、answer to
1.answer to sb (for sth)向某人（为某事）负责; .负有责任,对…负责,为…的后果负责,须做交代,对…负责做出解释,向…负责说明；向……汇报（报告）
All sales clerks answer to the store manager.
所有售货员都向商店经理负责。
You are to answer to Brian, to take your orders from him.
你需要向布赖恩汇报，听从他的指挥。
The directors had to answer to the stock holders for loss.
该损失董事们要向股东做出交代。
I’ll answer to your mother for your safety.
我要向你母亲保证，对你的安全负责。
You'll have to answer to me if any harm comes to this child. 如果这孩子受到任何伤害，你得对我负责。
2.(对刺激)起反应,对…有反应；响应；产生做用(或效果)；对(…的称呼)做出反应；名叫,叫做:例句:
The cow answered to its cowboy's touch.
牛对牛仔的轻击做出了反应。
The horse answers to the slight pull on the rein.轻微的拉动缰绳这匹马就会有反应。
The child answers only to its nickname.你只有叫那孩子的外号,他才答应。
She answered to her mother's call by coming downstairs. 她听到母亲的喊声就下楼了。
3.与(描述等)相符,和…相合（一致）；像：例句:
He answers to the description.他与描述相符。
His action does not answer to his words. 他做的和说的不一样。
The bike exactly answers to the description of the stolen one. 这辆自行车与被偷的那辆自行车的描述是完全一样的。
4.适合于,符合：例句:
That answers precisely to our need.那正符合我们的需要。
5.(飞机、船、汽车等)对…做出反应；听从(使唤、控制),服从：例句:
The sails are not answering to our pull on the ropes.
我们拉绳风帆不听使唤。
二、answer for
1. 负责,对…负责,负…的责任,为…的后果负责；有赔偿…(损失等)的责任：.因…而受责备(或谴责),为…受罚,因…而受到报应；受苦,为…受累例句:
One should answer for what he does.
一人做事一人当。
You should answer for what you said.
你应该对你所说的话负责。
You will have to answer for your behaviour one day.
总有一天你要因你的行为承担责任。
This government has a lot to answer for .
= This government is responsible for a lot of bad things.
这届政府对很多坏事都有责任。
We can't answer for her actions. 我们不能对她的行为负责。
If you drive this car without a licence,you'll have to answer for the consequences!
如果你没有执照就要开这辆车,你就得对所产生的后果负责!
You'll answer for your wrongdoing one day.你总有一天会为做的坏事而受到惩罚。
One day you’ll have to answer for what you’ve done. 有一天你会对你今天的所作所为承担责任的。
You will answer for your carelessness some day.
总有一天你会为粗心大意而吃苦头的。
He must be made to answer for his terrible crimes.
他必须为他的严重罪行付出代价。
He failed to carry out some of the provisions of the contract, and now he has to answer for the consequences.
他没有执行合同的一些条款，现在他必须对后果负责。
2.替(某人)回答；代表…讲话；代表…的意见(usually in negative sentences 通常用于否定句)
I will answer for my friend.我要替我的朋友回答。
I grew up in Pittsburgh and went to college at Cornell, so I can answer for both.
我在匹兹堡长大，在康奈尔大学上过学，所以我对二者均有发言权。
四级真题
That's a question damn near every woman who ever lived has had to answer for herself.
那几乎是每个有过生活经历的女人都必须要自己回答的问题。
I agree, but I can't answer for my colleagues.
我同意，但是我不能代表我同事们的意见。
3.说出(钱物等)的处置经过；报账:例句:
You'll have to answer for where every dollar goes.
你取用的每一块美元都得账目清楚.
4.保证,为…担保（负责）,担保，保证（某人的品质等）：
例句:
I will answer for it that he will accomplish the task.
我保证他能完成这项任务。(后接从句句型)
I can answer for her honesty.
我可以担保她为人诚实。
I can't answer for his experience，but I can answer for his honesty. 我不能担保他有经验，但我能担保他诚实。
5.起…的作用；适用,满足要求,符合需要, 应付需要；符合,适合；代用：例句:
This box will answer for a chair.
这个箱子可以当椅子用。
On a picnic, a newspaper answered for tablecloth.
野餐时报纸可以当桌布用。
The fax machine isn't a good one，but it will answer for the purpose. 这台传真机不是很好，但是也能够应付日常需要了。
注意：这个短语通常用于将来时态或含有情态动词的句子，其后可接名词或代词，一般不接 that 从句，若要接这类从句，则应先接形式宾语 it。如：
I can’t answer for it that he is honest.
我不能保证他是诚实的。
I will answer for it that he will accomplish the task.
我保证他能完成这项任务。