inquisition

From Old French inquisicion, from Latin inquisitio, from inquirere. The sense implying persecution is influenced by the name of the Spanish Inquisition, which is a cardinal exemplar of government inquisitions that give inquisitions a bad name.

• IPA^(key): /ˌɪŋkwɪˈzɪʃən/

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• Rhymes: -ɪʃən
• Hyphenation: in‧qui‧si‧tion

inquisition (countable and uncountable, plural inquisitions)

1. An inquiry or investigation into the truth of some matter.

   Synonym: disquisition

   • 1552, Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[The First Sermon]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folios 5, verso – 6, recto:

     But as farrefoorth as I coulde learne, through earneſt inquiſition I thoughte in my conſcience the woman was not gilty, all the circumſtances well conſydered.

   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Let not search and inquisition quail / To bring again these foolish runaways.

   1. (sometimes) Such an investigation that is asserted to be persecutory by its adversaries.
2. An inquest.
3. A questioning.
4. The finding of a jury, especially such a finding under a writ of inquiry.
   • 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:

     The justices in eyre had it formerly in charge to make inquisition concerning them by a jury of the county.

inquisition (third-person singular simple present inquisitions, present participle inquisitioning, simple past and past participle inquisitioned)

1. (obsolete) To make inquisition concerning; to inquire into.
   • 1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC:

     And in their name I shall for neither friend nor foe conceal what the general murmur is ; that if it come to inquisitioning again

Inherited from Old French inquisicion, itself borrowed from Latin inquisitiōnem.

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.ki.zi.sjɔ̃/

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inquisition f (plural inquisitions)

1. inquisition

• inquisiteur
• inquisitif

• “inquisition”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.