n.
'answer' (Modern English )
PGmc Ancestor
*swaran
Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)
svar 'reply, answer'
(ONP svar (sb.))
Other Scandinavian Reflexes
Far svar, Icel svar, Norw svar, Dan svar, Sw svar
OE Cognate
and-swaru (fem.) 'answer'
Phonological and morphological markers
Summary category
C1
(C3c)
MED's first citation is from Orrm and it is notable that sense (a) 'answer, reply' only occurs in Orrm and WA. Other senses more clearly deriving from the OE cognate , e.g. 'promise, pledge', are widespread.
Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus
WA 760*, 1184, 4999 etc.