inquire definition | Dictionary.com

in⋅quire

[in-kwahy^uh

verb, -quired, -quir⋅ing.

–verb (used without object)

1.	to seek information by questioning; ask: to inquire about a person.

2.	to make investigation (usually fol. by into): to inquire into the incident.

–verb (used with object)

3.	to seek to learn by asking: to inquire a person's name.

4.	Obsolete. to seek.

5.	Obsolete. to question (a person).

—Verb phrase

6.	inquire after, to ask about the state of health or condition of: Friends have been calling all morning to inquire after you.

Also, enquire.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME < L inquīrere to seek for (see in- ² , query ); r. ME enqueren < OF enquerre < L, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Language Translation for : inquire

Spanish:

preguntar,

German:

fragen,

Japanese:

尋ねる

View 30 other languages »

in·quire   (ĭn-kwīr') Pronunciation Key
v.   in·quired also en·quired, in·quir·ing also en·quir·ing, in·quires also en·quires

v.   intr.

To seek information by asking a question: inquired about prices.
To make an inquiry or investigation: inquire into the extent of the corruption.

v. tr.

To ask about.
To ask: "I am free to inquire what a work of art means to me" (Bernard Berenson). See Synonyms at ask.

Phrasal Verb(s):
inquire after
To ask about the health or condition of.

[Middle English enquiren, from Old French enquerre, from Vulgar Latin *inquaerere, alteration of Latin inquīrere : in-, into; see in-² + quaerere, to seek.]

in·quir'er n., in·quir'ing·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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inquire

c.1290, from O.Fr. enquerre, from V.L. *inquærere, from L. in- "into" + quærere "ask, seek" (see query). Respelled 14c. on L. model, but half-Latinized enquire still persists.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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inquire
verb
1.	inquire about; "I asked about their special today"; "He had to ask directions several times" [syn: ask]
2.	have a wish or desire to know something; "He wondered who had built this beautiful church" [syn: wonder]
3.	conduct an inquiry or investigation of; "The district attorney's office investigated reports of possible irregularities"; "inquire into the disappearance of the rich old lady" [syn: investigate]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Inquire

En*quire"\, v. i. & t. See Inquire.

Inquire

In"quest\, n. [OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enqu[^e]te, LL. inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p. p. of inquirere. See Inquire.]

1. Inquiry; quest; search. [R.] --Spenser.

The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science. --South.

2. (Law) (a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death. (b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matterm civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand. (c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry.

Coroner's inquest, an inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner.

Inquest of office, an inquiry made, by authority or direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of the crown or of the state. --Craig. Bouvier.

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