acquest

English

Etymology

From Middle English aqueste (later conflating with enqueste), from Old French aquest, (French acquêt), from Vulgar Latin *acquaesitum, ultimately from Latin quaerere (“seek”). Doublet of acquis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈkwɛst/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

Noun

acquest (countable and uncountable, plural acquests)

1. (rare) Acquisition; the thing gained.
   • a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a VVarre vvith Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany VVorks of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:

     the Palatinate , it is a maxim in state , that all countries of new acquest, till they be settled , are rather matters of burden than of strength

2. (law) Property acquired by purchase, gift, or otherwise than by inheritance.

Usage notes

Bouvier, 1856, [1] from which the Webster derives, uses the spelling acquets.

References

• “acquest”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French acquest.

Noun

acquest m (plural acquests)

1. acquisition

Descendants

• French: acquêt