Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Answer, subst., 1) that which is said in return, reply: Lucr. 1664. Tp. I, 2, 309. Gentl. I, 1, 81. Wiv. I, 1, 261. Err. II, 2, 13. Lr. IV, 2, 6 etc. etc. Followed by “to:” John II, 44. Merch. I, 3, 11. H6A V, 3, 150. H6B I, 2, 80. IV, 4, 7 etc. Plur.: Mids. III, 2, 287. LLL I, 2, 31. 'His a.' is ordinarily the answer which he gives, (f.i. Merch. I, 3, 11), but sometimes also the answer which he receives: Merch. II, 7, 72. IV, 1, 52. Tw. I, 5, 282. Cymb. II, 4, 30. “To make a.:” Sonn. 101, 5. Ado III, 3, 50. John II, 121. R2 IV, 20 “(what a. shall I make to this base man?).” H6A V, 3, 150. H6B I, 2, 80. IV, 4, 7, H6C IV, 1, 91. Hml. I, 2, 215. Ant. II, 7, 107.
As an answer may imply a declaration of will and purpose (LLL V, 2, 849. Merch. I, 3, 8 etc.), to give a. of sth. is equivalent to to declare one's meaning about sth.: “is not this the day that Hermia should give a. of her choice?” Mids. IV, 1, 141. “I descend to give thee a. of thy just demand,” H6A V, 3, 144.
2) account: “nothing of your a.” Meas. II, 4, 73. “to make your a. before him” III, 2, 165. “thus bound to your a.” Ado V, 1, 233. “let me go no farther to mine a.” Ado V, 1, 233 “this is not laid to thy a.” Wint. III, 2, 200. “for your days of a.” R2 IV, 159. “he'll call you to so hot an a. of it,” H5 II, 4, 123. “call these foul offenders to their --s,” H6B II, 1, 203. “brought him to his a.,” H8 IV, 2, 14. “follow to thine a.” Cor. III, 1, 177. “I know my answer must be made,” Caes. I, 3, 114.
Very near to, and almost coincident with, this signification is that of atonement, reparation for an offence, punishment: “arrest them to the a. of the law,” H5 II, 2, 143. “render'd to your public laws at heaviest a.” Tim. V, 4, 63. “whose a. would be death,” Cymb. IV, 4, 13.
3) return, retaliation: “Great the slaughter is here made by the Roman; great the a. be Britons must take,” Cymb. V, 3, 79. “in a. of which claim,” H5 I, 2, 249. Especially, as it is explained in Hml. V, 2, 176, the "opposition of one's person in trial," in consequence of an offence or a challenge: “it may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort, quite from the a. of his degree,” H5 IV, 7, 142. “and wake him to the a.” Troil. I, 3, 332. “if your lordship would vouchsafe the a.” Hml. V, 2, 176. “he'll not feel wrongs that tie him to an a.” Lr. IV, 2, 14.
In fencing it is the coming in or striking in return after having parried or received a hit: “on the a. he pays you as surely,” Tw. III, 4, 305. “if Hamlet give the first or second hit, or quit in a. of the third exchange,” Hml. V, 2, 280.