Wiktionary

inquire

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Latin inquīrō (“to seek for”), composed of in- (“in, at, on; into”) + quaerō (“I seek, look for”), of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”). Displaced Middle English enqueren (from Old French enquerre, of the same source) and native Middle English speir (“ask, inquire”).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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inquire (third-person singular simple present inquires, present participle inquiring, simple past and past participle inquired) (transitive, intransitive)

  1. (intransitive, US, Canada, Australia) To ask (about something).
    • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
      "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. […] A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually.
  2. (intransitive) To make an inquiry or an investigation.
  3. (transitive, obsolete) To call; to name.

Usage notes

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  • The spelling inquire is more common, especially in American English, but also in British English.[1] Some authorities assert that a distinction is made in the UK, with enquire being used for a non-official enquiry, and inquire being used in legal or government contexts; in the US, Canada, an Australia, this distinction is not made and inquire is used generally.[2]

Synonyms

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  • frain (dialect or obsolete)

Derived terms

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Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Google Books Ngram Viewer
  2. ^ “enquire”, in Oxford Learner's Dictionaries

Latin

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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inquīre

  1. second-person singular present active imperative of inquīrō

Portuguese

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Pronunciation

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  • Hyphenation: in‧qui‧re

Verb

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inquire

  1. inflection of inquirir:
    1. third-person singular present indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative
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