Word forms: plural inquirieslanguage note: The spelling enquiry is also used. Inquiry is sometimes pronounced (ɪŋkwɪri) in American English.
1. countable noun
An inquiry is a question which you ask in order to get some information.
He made some inquiries and discovered she had gone to the Continent.
After a brief inquiry about the Christmas holiday, he returned to the subject ofmusic.
Synonyms: question, query, investigation More Synonyms of inquiry
2. countable noun
An inquiry is an official investigation.
This is the most difficult and shocking murder inquiry I have had to open in thelast 25 years.
The Democratic Party has called for an independent inquiry into the incident. [+ into]
3. uncountable noun
Inquiry is the process of asking about or investigating something in order to find out more about it.
The investigation has suddenly switched to a new line of inquiry.
Synonyms: research, investigation, analysis, examination More Synonyms of inquiry
4.
See help the police with their inquiries
5. See also court of inquiry
More Synonyms of inquiry
inquiry in British English
or enquiry (ɪnˈkwaɪərɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ries
1.
a request for information; a question
2.
an investigation, esp a formal one conducted into a matter of public concern by a body constituted for that purpose by a government, local authority, or other organization
inquiry in American English
(ˈɪnkwəri; ɪnˈkwaɪri; ˈɪnˌkwaɪri)
nounWord forms: pluralˈinquiries
1.
the act of inquiring
2.
an investigation or examination
3.
a question; query
Word origin
earlier enquery < ME enquere
COBUILD Collocations
inquiry
formal inquiry
further inquiries
initial inquiry
police inquiry
scientific inquiry
urgent inquiry
year-long inquiry
Examples of 'inquiry' in a sentence
inquiry
There have been a number of lines of inquiry.
The Sun (2016)
It is thought to be discussing launching a formal inquiry.
The Sun (2017)
The number of people making inquiries about divorce tends to rise in January.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
From their labours across multiple and converging independent lines of inquiry we've gained knowledge in the past generation.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
It is part of an inquiry launched last July into whether the industry has the capacity to meet demand.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
On a recent simple matter, an inquiry of mine was passed through more than ten members of staff.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Yet an independent inquiry can run alongside such a process, not least in passing on any information to police.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A Metropolitan police spokesman said the force was aware of the incident and that inquiries continue.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
More than 50 teachers and governors from inner-city schools spoke to the official government inquiry on condition of anonymity.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Soca did not share the information from its inquiry with the privacy watchdog until last week.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The police said initially that their inquiry would last three months.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The usual independent inquiry has been set up.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You would need a government inquiry to discover who is the less happy.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Last night the suspect was on bail pending further inquiries into the incident.
The Sun (2013)
This will remain a live investigation and our inquiries will continue.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These seminars were useful in ironing out bad ideas and cancelling pointless lines of inquiry.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Police were making house to house inquiries yesterday to find out more about the tragedy.
The Sun (2015)
There is no suggestion that a formal inquiry is imminent.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He gave the inquiry further purported information about the identity of the mistress.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The document should have been handed to the inquiry last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She called for a full inquiry independent of the animal research industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The studies have provided important sources of evidence for a number of government inquiries.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
According to their results all of our inquiries into the incident are now over.
The Sun (2016)
There will have to be a police investigation and judicial inquiry.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There are two fruitful lines of inquiry.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Inquiries into this matter should continue.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
You still make those inquiries, but discreetly.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Once there, police and military intelligence make suspicious inquiries.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
West Ham have begun an inquiry into the matter.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In the last few days we have had a lot more inquiries, specifically about our campuses abroad.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
I spend a lot of my afternoon dealing with press inquiries about my work.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It would attempt to stall the takeover until police completed their inquiries, a process that could take years.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There has been no formal review of the inquiry - a process which could unearth a key piece of the jigsaw.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
inquiry
British English: inquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪərɪ/ NOUN
An inquiry is a question which you ask in order to get information.
He made some inquiries and discovered she had gone abroad.
American English: inquiry
Arabic: إِسْتِعْلامٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: averiguação
Chinese: 质询
Croatian: upit
Czech: dotaz
Danish: forespørgsel
Dutch: onderzoek
European Spanish: consulta
Finnish: tiedustelu
French: enquête
German: Erkundigung
Greek: διερεύνηση
Italian: indagine
Japanese: 問い合わせ
Korean: 문의
Norwegian: forespørsel
Polish: pytanie
European Portuguese: averiguação
Romanian: întrebare
Russian: вопрос
Latin American Spanish: investigación
Swedish: förfrågan
Thai: การสอบสวน
Turkish: soru
Ukrainian: запит
Vietnamese: yêu cầu
All related terms of 'inquiry'
inquiry agent
a private detective
inquiry desk
a section of an office , business etc, which deals with inquiries nor requests for information
formal inquiry
An inquiry is an official investigation .
initial inquiry
An inquiry is a question which you ask in order to get some information.
inquiry office
an office or department of a business, organization, etc, which deals with inquiries or requests for information
police inquiry
An inquiry is an official investigation .
public inquiry
an official enquiry, usually into a serious accident or other disaster , or into planning applications . Interested parties can attend , and contribute .
urgent inquiry
An inquiry is an official investigation .
judicial inquiry
a formal legal investigation conducted into a matter of public concern by a judge , appointed by the government
scientific inquiry
Inquiry is the process of asking about or investigating something in order to find out more about it.
board of inquiry
a group set up to inquire into accidents , etc
court of inquiry
A court of inquiry is a group of people who are officially appointed to investigate a serious accident or incident , or an official investigation into a serious accident or incident.
parliamentary inquiry
a question asked of the presiding officer of a parliament in relation to parliamentary law
year-long inquiry
An inquiry is an official investigation .
commission of inquiry
(in Britain) a group that is set up to investigate something
committee of inquiry
(in parliament) a group set up to investigate something
social inquiry report
(in Britain) a report on a person and his or her circumstances , which may be required by a court before sentencing and is made by a probation officer or a social worker from a local authority social services department
Chinese translation of 'inquiry'
inquiry
(ɪnˈkwaɪərɪ)
n
(c) (= question) 询(詢)问(問) (xúnwèn)
(about advertisement) 咨询(詢) (zīxún)
(c) (= investigation) 调(調)查 (diàochá) (次, cì)
(u) (Police) 质(質)询(詢) (zhìxún)
to make inquiries进(進)行调(調)查 (jìnxíng diàochá)
public inquiry公开(開)调(調)查 (gōngkāi diàochá)
to hold an inquiry into sth对(對)某事进(進)行调(調)查 (duì mǒushì jìnxíng diàochá)
a court of inquiry调(調)查庭 (diàochá tíng)
1 (noun)
Definition
a question
He made some inquiries and discovered she had gone abroad.
Synonyms
question
He refused to answer further questions on the subject.
query
If you have any queries, please contact us.
investigation
2 (noun)
Definition
an investigation
a murder inquiry
Synonyms
investigation
hearing
The judge adjourned the hearing until next Tuesday.
study
the use of maps and visual evidence in the study of local history
review
a review on the training and education of over-16s
search
There was no chance of him being found alive and the search was abandoned.
survey
According to the survey, overall world trade has also slackened.
analysis
examination
probe
a federal grand-jury probe into corruption within the FDA
inspection
A routine inspection of the vessel turned up 50 kg of the drug.
exploration
scrutiny
inquest
The inquest into their deaths opened yesterday.
3 (noun)
The investigation has switched to a new line of inquiry.
Synonyms
research
His groundbreaking research will be vital in future developments.
investigation
He ordered an investigation into the affair.
analysis
They collect blood samples for analysis at the laboratory.
examination
They have taken the documents away for examination.
inspection
Closer inspection reveals that they are banded with yellow.
exploration
an exploration of Celtic mythology
scrutiny
His private life came under media scrutiny.
interrogation
the right to silence in police interrogations
Additional synonyms
in the sense of analysis
Definition
the separation of a whole into its parts for study or interpretation
They collect blood samples for analysis at the laboratory.
Synonyms
examination,
test,
division,
inquiry,
investigation,
resolution,
interpretation,
breakdown,
scanning,
separation,
evaluation,
scrutiny,
sifting,
anatomy,
dissolution,
dissection,
assay,
perusal,
anatomization
in the sense of examination
Definition
the act of examining
They have taken the documents away for examination.