| 释义 |
▪ I. inquire, enquire, v.|ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)|
Forms: see A. below.
[ME. enquer-e(n., a. OF. enquer-re (enquer-ant), mod.F. enquér-ir = Pr. enquerer, enquerre, It. † inquierere, † inchierere, inchiedere:—late pop.L. type *inquērĕre for inquærĕre (analytical for cl.L. inquīrĕre), f. in- (in-2) + quærĕre to ask. In Eng. the stem-vowel was conformed to the cl.L. in 15th c.; Sc. retained the Fr. form. The prefix began also to be conformed to L. in 14–15th c., but the half-latinized enquire still subsists beside inquire: cf. endoss, endorse, indorse.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
(α) 3 anquere, 3–6 enquere, 4 enquer.
c1290Beket 387 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 117 He let þoruȝ þe contreies an-quere [Harl. enquere] Hov muche ech Man scholde paiȝe. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7675 King William..Let enqueri [v.rr. enquery, enquere] streitliche [etc.]. c1340Cursor M. 11475 (Trin.) Gooþ he seide & faste enquere how he is born & where. c1380Sir Ferumb. 2919 Þanne of hymen he gan enquer. 1477Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 67 Enquere and seke to haue vertues. 1535Coverdale 1 Sam. xxiii. 23, I wyl enquere after him.
(β) 5–7 inquere, Sc. inqueir, 6 inqueere.
14..Sir Beues (MS. M) 1030 A palmers wede thou shalte were, So may thou best after hym inquere. 1487Barbour's Bruce iv. 221 Of thingis that he vald Inqueir. 1512Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 20 Preamble, [They] caused a Crouner to sit and inquere on the vieu of the Bodies. 1563Winȝet Wks. (1890) II. 57 Perchanse sum man wil inqueir. 1574Inqueere [see inquirable β]. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. i. 31, I chiefly doe inquere [rimes heare, neare, weare]. 1663Butler Hud. i. i. 131 Whatever Sceptick could inquere for, For every why he had a wherefore.
(γ) 5–6 enquyre, enquier, 5– enquire.
14..Chaucer's L.G.W. 1152 Dido (MS. Gg. 4. 27), Of the dedes hath she more enquyrid [4 MSS. enquered, rime lered]. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. clxxxviii. [clxxxiv.] 575 Than he was enquyred where he had the wyne. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. i. i. 183 Goe presently enquire. 1599― Much Ado i. i. 181 Would you buie her, that you enquier after her? 1667Milton P.L. iii. 571 He stayd not to enquire. 1765H. Walpole Otranto iii. 47 Enquire who is without. 1856(title) Enquire within upon Everything.
(δ) 5–6 inquyre, 5– inquire.
c1440Inquired [see B. 3 b]. 1483Caxton G. de la Tour F v b, Dylygently inquyred and knowen. 1483Cath. Angl. 196/2 To Inquire. 1567Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 100 Thair counsell is to seirche and to Inquyre. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. i. §5 He inquireth the nature of a common⁓wealth. 1611Bible Ps. xxvii. 4 To inquire in his temple. 1711Addison Spect. No. 164 ⁋2 To inquire if they had heard any thing. 1850Tennyson In Mem. iv, Who scarcely darest to inquire.
B. Signification.
†1. trans. To search into, seek information or knowledge concerning, investigate, examine. Obs.
c1300Beket 1356 That ȝe with ous sende, A legat to Engelonde: to enquere therof than ende. 1388Wyclif Job x. 6 That thou enquere my wickidnesse and enserche my synne. 1612Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 8 The use of a Probe..sometimes to enquire the depth of a wound. 1646Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. ii. iii. 67 The writings of some, and Maps of others, are to be enquired. 1787Generous Attachm. IV. 168 Its propriety [was] enquired with a degree of scrupulosity that would have done honour to the most rigid of the Fathers.
†b. To search (a place). Obs. rare.
c1605Rowley Birth Merl. ii. i. 292 Do but inquire this forest, I'll go with you. 1615Chapman Odyss. iv. 520 Who can the deeps of all the seas enquire.
2. To seek knowledge of (a thing) by putting a question; to ask about; to request to be told; to ask (something) of, Sc. at (a person).
a. with simple object. Now less usual.
c1305Pilate 52 in E.E.P. (1862) 112 He wiste wel þe gyle And þe maner enquerede of þe lond. 1388Wyclif Matt. ii. 16 Aftir the tyme that he had enquerid of the astromyens. c1450Merlin 44 They enquered tidinges of Merlin. a1533Ld. Berners Huon xxiv. 446 Euer enquyrynge newes for that he sought for. 1548Hall Chron., Hen. V, 76 b, Of whom the duke inquired the numbre of his enemies. 1607Shakes. Cor. iii. i. 54 You must enquire your way. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts 501 To inquire my interpretation of this dreame. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xviii. vii, To inquire the character of a servant. 1785Burns Cotter's Saturday Night vii, The wily mother..Wi' heart⁓struck, anxious care, inquires his name. 1805Emily Clark Banks of Douro II. 110 Captain O'Dell enquired Mr. Taylor's residence in town. 1812Byron Wks. (1832) II. 202 Before recurring to my own business I could not help enquiring that of Sheridan.
b. with interrogative clause as object (in indirect or, less frequently, direct oration): To ask, make the inquiry.
c1290[see A. α]. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10469 Þe king enquerede of is men al, wat hii awei bere? c1380Wyclif Sel. Wks. III. 312 Wolde God þat alle..trewe men wolden enquere where it were betre for to fynde goode prestis bi fre almes of þe peple. c1440Ipomydon 110 Men..Enquered of men of other contre, Of Calabre lond who was kynge. 1523Fitzherb. Surv. 2 It is to be inquered how many feldes are of the demeyns. 1530Palsgr. 360 We enquyre or demaunde if we haue any parte or porcyon therof. 1611Bible Matt. ii. 7 Herod..enquired of them diligently what time the Starre appeared. 1683Ray Corr. (1848) 132 Visit him, and inquire of him whether he designs to engrave and publish any of those icons. 1747Wesley Prim. Physic (1762) p. viii, They began to enquire how they might account for these Things. Ibid. p. xiv, Is it enquired; But are there not Books enough already? 1824Galt Rothelan III. vii. viii. 76, I will inquire at the servants..if he has gone out. 1833H. Martineau Berkeley the Banker i. iv. 93 ‘May one ask about the forgers?’ inquired Fanny.
†c. To ask (a question). Obs. (In first quot. with dative of person, or double object.)
a1400–50Alexander 1110 Enquire me noȝt þat question, for I queth þe it neuer. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 18 Which forbyddeth ony person to enquyre ony suche questyon.
†3. To seek information from (a person) by putting a question; to address a question to, to question, interrogate; to ask (some one). Obs.
a. with personal object only, or const. of or for.
c1430Freemasonry 441 They schul enquere every monn..Ȝef any mon mowe be y-fownde gulty. 1461Paston Lett. No. 409 II. 38, I enqueryd hym of the gydyng of my maystyr yore sone. 1541R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg., Man. exam. Lazares Q iij, Than enquyre hym of his dreames. 1671Milton P.R. i. 458 Thou no more with pomp and sacrifice Shalt be inquired at Delphos or elsewhere. 1682Dryden Medal 164 [The Bible] was fram'd at first our Oracle t' enquire.
b. with subordinate interrogative clause.
c1440Jacob's Well (E.E.T.S.) 264 Þou schalt ben inquired wheþer þou dedyst hem for god or for þe world. 1549Compl. Scot. To Rdr. 13 He inquirit annibal, quhat iugement he hed of his philosophour phormion. a1639Spottiswood Hist. Ch. Scot. v. (1677) 277 Mr. Patrick being enquired..whether he would submit himself to trial.
4. intr. To make search or investigation; to search, seek; to make inquisition. Const. into, † of, † after.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 247 Þe kyng was [to] enquere of þer wikked dedes. c1386Chaucer Man of Law's T. 531 This gentil kyng..thought he wold enquere Depper in this cas. ― Wife's Prol. 316 What nedeth thee of me to enquere or spyen? a1500Sir Beues (Pynson) 3424 In eche londe do thou enquere After syr Beuys of Hamptowne. 1590Spenser F.Q. ii. Introd. 4 Of faery lond yet if he more inquyre..He may it fynd. 1648D. Jenkins Wks. (Table), Briberies, Extortions, Monopolies, ought to bee enquired after by the House of Commons. 1711Addison Spect. No. 63 ⁋6, I inquired into what they were doing. a1714Sharp Serm. II. ii. (R.), And here two things are to be enquired into. 1864Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. viii. (1875) 135 He began by inquiring into the character and manners of the Pope.
5. intr. To seek information by questioning; to put a question or questions; to ask. (In biblical use often = to consult an oracle, etc.) Const. of, also (now Sc.) at (the source of information); about, after, † of (the subject of inquiry). to inquire after (a person), to make inquiries about his welfare, etc., to ask how he is.
c1375Cato Major ii. vi. in Anglia VII, Enquere not of priuites Of God, ne eke of heuene. c1460Play Sacram. 628 Fast to hym I wold inquere. 1582N.T. (Rhem.) Matt. ii. 8 Goe and inquire diligently of the childe. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 166, I promist to enquire carefully About a schoolemaster. 1600― A.Y.L. iii. iv. 50 You haue oft enquired After the Shepheard that complain'd of loue. 1611Bible Gen. xxiv. 57 Wee will call the Damsell, and enquire at her mouth. ― 1 Sam. xxiii. 2 Dauid enquired of the Lord. ― 1 Chron. xiii. 3 Let us bring againe the Arke of our God to us: for wee enquired not at it in the dayes of Saul.1613T. Lorkin Let. 8 July in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 255 Sir Thomas Somerset inquires very kindly after you. a1745Swift (J.), To those who inquired about me, my lover would answer that [etc.]. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xii. v, We may expect to meet with somebody to inquire of. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 45 ⁋8 When parents make articles for their children without enquiring after their consent. 1827Keble Chr. Y. 17 Sund. Trin. x, Dare not to enquire Of Him whose name is Jealous. 1846Trench Mirac. xv. (1862) 256 After this greater offender they inquire now.
b. To make request (for a thing); to ask to see a person. Const. for (after, obs. or arch.).
1500–20Dunbar Poems xxix. 31, I haif inquyrit in mony a place, For help and confort in this cace. 1603Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. i. 17 Duke. Hath any body enquir'd for mee here to day?..Mar. You haue not bin enquir'd after. 1611Bible Acts ix. 11 Inquire in the house of Iudas, for one called Saul of Tarsus.
†6. trans. To seek, search for, try to find. esp. with out (rarely forth): To seek till one finds; to seek out, search out, find out by seeking (often including the notion of asking: cf. 3). Obs.
1390Gower Conf. I. 176 Al that I may enquire and seche Of such deceipte, I telle it al. 1450–80tr. Secreta Secret. (E.E.T.S.) 36 Enquere the on that wolle trewly bere thi lettris. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 3 b, Enquyre & seke our lorde, be fixed in hym. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. ii. iv. 186 Goe on before: I shall enquire you forth. 1596― Merch. V. iv. ii. 1 Enquire the Iewes house out. 15971st Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iv. i. 1247 Now good Sexton, I am tirde..with enquiringe you. 1675Marvell Corr. cclix. Wks. 1872–5 II. 482 To inquire out the Printer and Author. 1725Pope Odyss. vii. 37 Well known to me the palace you enquire. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 98 ⁋17 He..would enquire out a trade for his eldest son. 1790Norman & Bertha II. 165 An unhappy chance conducted Bertha to my house..to enquire out your residence.
†7. trans. (or absol.) To ask for, demand; to require. Obs. rare.
1513Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 2138 Lamentynge nyght and day his departure As nature enquyred. 1547–64Bauldwin Mor. Philos. (Palfr.) iv. v, One friend ought not to enquire any vniust thing of another. 1656H. Phillips Purch. Patt. (1676) 85 Any number of pounds inquired.
¶8. (erron.) To call, name. Obs.
1590Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 12 The which he cald Canutium, for his hyre; Now Cantium, which Kent we comenly inquyre.
▪ II. † inˈquire, enˈquire, n. Obs.
Also 6 inquere, inquyre.
[f. prec. vb.]
The action, or an act, of inquiring; inquiry.
c1450Merlin 3 They wende that oure lorde sholde haue no knowynge of their ordenaunce and enquire. 1525Ld. Berners Froiss. II. clxiii. [clix.] 451 That Betysach was in prison, and that inquyre was made of his dedes. a1547Petit. in Rye Cromer (1889) 53 Those trespases and offences that the Kyngs Highnes hath alweys hadd the Inquere and punyssement of. 1600Look About You xxix. in Hazl. Dodsley VII. 480 Make thy inquire, where mad Gloster lives. 1638Wilkins New World i. (1684) 142 Whether they are there in a Blessed Estate, or else what means there may be for their Salvation? with many other such Uncertain Enquires. |