enquire
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Etymology
From Old French enquerre, from en- + querre (“to search, to look for”), from Latin quaerere, of uncertain origin, but possibly from Proto-Italic *kʷaizeō, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂- (“to acquire”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɛnˈkwaɪə/, /ɪn-/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ɛnˈkwaɪɹ/, /ɪn-/, /ɪŋ-/
- Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: in‧qui‧re
Verb
enquire (third-person singular simple present enquires, present participle enquiring, simple past and past participle enquired)
- British English form of inquire.
- He enquired about the availability of rental bicycles in the town.
- 1644, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine or Discipline of Divorce: […], 2nd edition, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, book:
- Having thus at length enquired the truth concerning Law and dispense.
- 1814, Lord Byron, “Canto I”, in The Corsair, a Tale, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], for John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza II, page 5, lines 79–82:
- Thus prompts his accents and his actions still, / And all obey and few enquire his will; / To such, brief answer and contemptuous eye / Convey reproof, nor further deign reply.
Usage notes
Derived terms
- enquire after
- enquire of
Related terms
References
Anagrams
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