inquire

inquire
in|quire
enquire [ınˈkwaıə US -ˈkwaır] v [I and T] formal
[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: enquerre, from Latin inquirere, from quaerere 'to look for']
to ask someone for information
▪ 'Why are you doing that?' the boy inquired.
inquire about
▪ I am writing to inquire about your advertisement in The Times.
inquire whether/why/how etc
▪ The waiter inquired whether we would like to sit near the window.
inquire sth of sb
▪ 'Where's the station?' she inquired of a passer-by.
▪ Toby would have liked to inquire further (=ask more questions) .
▪ I did not inquire the reason for his lateness.
>inquirer n
inquire after / [inquire after sb/sth] phr v
to ask about someone's health, what they are doing etc
▪ He called me aside to inquire after my daughter.
inquire into [inquire into sth] phr v
to ask questions in order to get more information about something
▪ The investigation will inquire into the company's financial dealings.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат
Synonyms:
, , (by questioning), / , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • inquire — in‧quire [ɪnˈkwaɪə ǁ ˈkwaɪr] also enquire verb [intransitive] 1. to ask someone for information: inquire about • Hundreds of prospective buyers have inquired about the auction. inquire whether/​ when/​why etc …   Financial and business terms

  • Inquire — In*quire , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inquiring}.] [OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enqu[ e]rir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in in + quarere to seek. See {Quest} a seeking, and cf. {Inquiry}.] [Written also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inquire — [in kwīr′] vi. inquired, inquiring [ME enqueren < OFr enquerre < VL * inquaerere, for L inquirere < in , into + quaerere, to seek] 1. to seek information; ask a question or questions 2. to carry out an examination or investigation:… …   English World dictionary

  • Inquire — In*quire , v. t. 1. To ask about; to seek to know by asking; to make examination or inquiry respecting. [1913 Webster] Having thus at length inquired the truth concerning law and dispense. Milton. [1913 Webster] And all obey and few inquire his… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inquire — (v.) late 13c., from O.Fr. enquerre ask, inquire about (Mod.Fr. enquérir), from V.L. *inquaerere, from L. in into (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + quaerere ask, seek (see QUERY (Cf. query)). Respelled 14c. on Latin model, but half Latinized enquire stil …   Etymology dictionary

  • inquire — I verb ask, catechize, conduct research, cross examine, delve into, examine, explore, interrogate, investigate, look into, probe, propose a question, pry into, pursue, query, question, quiz, research, scrutinize, search, search into, seek… …   Law dictionary

  • inquire of — index consult (seek information from), cross examine Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • inquire re — index examine (interrogate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • inquire — query, question, *ask, interrogate, catechize, quiz, examine Contrasted words: reply, *answer, respond, rejoin, retort …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • inquire — [v] ask; look into analyze, catechize, examine, explore, feel out, go over, grill, hit, hit up, inspect, interrogate, investigate, knock, probe, prospect, pry, query, question, request information, roast, scrutinize, search, seek, seek… …   New thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”