enquire en · VERB
Pronunciation
- /ɪŋ-/ (General-American)
- /ɪn-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɛnˈkwaɪɹ/ (General-American)
- /ɪn-/ (General-American)
- /ɛnˈkwaɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
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”).
Meanings
-
(British, English, alt-of) British English form of inquire.
alt of inquire
He enquired about the availability of rental bicycles in the town.
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.
1814, Lord Byron, “Canto I”, in The Corsair, a Tale, London: […] Thomas Davison, […], for John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza II, page 5, lines 79–82:Having thus at length enquired the truth concerning Law and dispense.
1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| enquires | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| enquired | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| enquired | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| enquiring | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |
Deriveds
enquirable · enquire of · unenquired · enquire after · enquirer