enquire, inquire

enquire, inquire
Both spellings of this word are acceptable, although inquire is more widely used. Similarly, the noun inquiry is preferable to enquiry. Enquire (enquiry) is sometimes used for the act of questioning, whereas inquire (inquiry) refers to a more detailed or prolonged questioning, an investigation. This distinction hardly seems worthwhile: "The cashier made an inquiry (enquiry) into the cash shortage."

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • enquire, inquire — ▶ verb 1 I enquired about part time training courses: ASK, make enquiries, question someone, request information. 2 the commission is to enquire into alleged illegal payments: INVESTIGATE, conduct an enquiry, probe, look into; research, examine …   Useful english dictionary

  • inquire — See enquire. See enquire, inquire …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • enquire — See enquire, inquire …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • inquire — in‧quire [ɪnˈkwaɪə ǁ ˈkwaɪr] also enquire verb [intransitive] 1. to ask someone for information: inquire about • Hundreds of prospective buyers have inquired about the auction. inquire whether/​ when/​why etc …   Financial and business terms

  • enquire — Inquire In*quire , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inquiring}.] [OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enqu[ e]rir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in in + quarere to seek. See {Quest} a seeking, and cf. {Inquiry}.] [Written… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • enquire — en‧quire [ɪnˈkwaɪə ǁ ˈkwaɪr] verb [intransitive, transitive] especially BrE another spelling of inquire * * * enquire UK US /ɪnˈkwaɪər/ verb [I] UK ► INQUIRE(Cf. ↑inquire …   Financial and business terms

  • Inquire — In*quire , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inquiring}.] [OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enqu[ e]rir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in in + quarere to seek. See {Quest} a seeking, and cf. {Inquiry}.] [Written also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • enquire — see INQUIRE (Cf. inquire). An alternative form mainly used in sense of to ask a question. Related: enquired; enquiring …   Etymology dictionary

  • enquire — enquire, enquiry, inquire, inquiry The forms in en and in have long been largely interchangeable. At present the in forms are dominant in all meanings in AmE, whereas in BrE there is a tendency to prefer the in forms for official or formal types… …   Modern English usage

  • inquire — (v.) late 13c., from O.Fr. enquerre ask, inquire about (Mod.Fr. enquérir), from V.L. *inquaerere, from L. in into (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + quaerere ask, seek (see QUERY (Cf. query)). Respelled 14c. on Latin model, but half Latinized enquire stil …   Etymology dictionary

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