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ENQUIRY
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A systematic investigation of a matter of public interest
Synonyms:
enquiry; inquiry
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("enquiry" is a kind of...):
investigating; investigation (the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "enquiry"):
means test (an inquiry into the financial position of someone applying for financial aid)
inquest (an inquiry into the cause of an unexpected death)
Derivation:
enquire (conduct an inquiry or investigation of)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A search for knowledge
Example:
their pottery deserves more research than it has received
Synonyms:
enquiry; inquiry; research
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Hypernyms ("enquiry" is a kind of...):
problem solving (the thought processes involved in solving a problem)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "enquiry"):
nature study (the study of animals and plants in the natural world (usually at an elementary level))
experiment; experimentation (the testing of an idea)
empirical research (an empirical search for knowledge)
investigation; probe (an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities)
canvass; opinion poll; poll; public opinion poll (an inquiry into public opinion conducted by interviewing a random sample of people)
heraldry (the study and classification of armorial bearings and the tracing of genealogies)
Sense 3
Meaning:
An instance of questioning
Example:
we made inquiries of all those who were present
Synonyms:
enquiry; inquiry; interrogation; query; question
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("enquiry" is a kind of...):
inquiring; questioning (a request for information)
Derivation:
enquire (address a question to and expect an answer from)
Context examples:
His enquiries, however, produced at length an account of the scene she had been engaged in there, soon after his leaving the place.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Colonel Brandon's delicate, unobtrusive enquiries were never unwelcome to Miss Dashwood.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
Nay, said Anne, I have no particular enquiry to make about her.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
She determined, after some consideration, that if appearances continued many days longer as unpleasant as they now were, she would represent in the strongest manner to her mother the necessity of some serious enquiry into the affair.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
This was Sir Walter and Elizabeth's share of interest in the letter; when Mrs Clay had paid her tribute of more decent attention, in an enquiry after Mrs Charles Musgrove, and her fine little boys, Anne was at liberty.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Elinor wished very much to ask whether Willoughby were then in town, but she was afraid of giving him pain by any enquiry after his rival; and at length, by way of saying something, she asked if he had been in London ever since she had seen him last.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
How she might have felt had there been no Captain Wentworth in the case, was not worth enquiry; for there was a Captain Wentworth; and be the conclusion of the present suspense good or bad, her affection would be his for ever.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
It was now above a week since John Dashwood had called in Berkeley Street, and as since that time no notice had been taken by them of his wife's indisposition, beyond one verbal enquiry, Elinor began to feel it necessary to pay her a visit.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
He was preparing only to bow and pass on, but her gentle How do you do? brought him out of the straight line to stand near her, and make enquiries in return, in spite of the formidable father and sister in the back ground.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Some letters had passed between her and her brother, in consequence of Marianne's illness; and in the first of John's, there had been this sentence:— We know nothing of our unfortunate Edward, and can make no enquiries on so prohibited a subject, but conclude him to be still at Oxford; which was all the intelligence of Edward afforded her by the correspondence, for his name was not even mentioned in any of the succeeding letters.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
