enquire

English

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)

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• (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)

1. 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

• See the usage notes in the entry "inquire".

Derived terms

• enquire after
• enquire of

Related terms

• enquiry

Anagrams

• inquere