pleading vs answer

pleading and answer both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
pleading	Yes	Yes	No	No
answer	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, answer is a hyponym of pleading; that is, answer is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than pleading:

pleading: (law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding
answer: the principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims

pleading (noun)	answer (noun)
(law) a statement in legal and logical form stating something on behalf of a party to a legal proceeding	a nonverbal reaction
	the speech act of replying to a question
	a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
	a statement that solves a problem or explains how to solve the problem
	the principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims

pleading (adjective)	answer (adjective)
begging

pleading (verb)	answer (verb)
	give the correct answer or solution to
	respond to a signal
	understand the meaning of
	react to a stimulus or command
	react verbally
	give a defence or refutation of (a charge) or in (an argument)
	be satisfactory for; meet the requirements of or serve the purpose of
	match or correspond
	be liable or accountable
	be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity