different between demur vs question

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman demorer, from Old French demorer (French demeurer), from Vulgar Latin demoro, Latindemorari (“to tarry”), from de- + morari (“to delay”).

See alternative etymology in the Anglo-Norman ancestor.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: d?mûr?, IPA^(key): /d??m??/
• (General American) enPR: d?mûr?, IPA^(key): /d??m?/
• Rhymes: -??(?)

Distinguish from pronunciation of demure

Verb

demur (third-person singular simple present demurs, present participle demurring, simple past and past participle demurred)

1. (intransitive, obsolete) To linger; to stay; to tarry
2. (intransitive) To delay; to pause; to suspend proceedings or judgment in view of a doubt or difficulty; to hesitate; to put off the determination or conclusion of an affair.
   • 1630, John Hayward, The Life and Raigne of King Edward the Sixth

     Vpon this rubbe the English Embassadors thought fit to demurre

3. (intransitive) To scruple or object; to take exception; to oppose; to balk

4. (intransitive, law) To interpose a demurrer.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To suspend judgment concerning; to doubt of or hesitate about
6. (transitive, obsolete) To cause delay to; to put off
   • 1634, Francis Quarles, Emblems

     He demands a fee, / And then demurs me with a vain delay.

Related terms

• demurrage
• demurral
• demurrer

Translations

Noun

demur (plural demurs)

1. Stop; pause; hesitation as to proceeding; suspense of decision or action; scruple.
   • 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society 2011, p. 132:

     Most geologists today would accept such evidence without demur, but it was still ‘fringe’ science when du Toit was publishing.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• MUDer, mured

Latin

Verb

d?mur

1. first-person plural present passive subjunctive of d?

English

Alternative forms

• quæstion (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English question, questioun, questiun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaesti?nem, accusative of quaesti? (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”). Displaced native Middle English frain, fraign (“question”) (from Old English fræ?n); compare Middle English frainen, freinen ("to inquire, question"; > Modern English frain), Middle English afrainen, affrainen (“to question”), German fragen (“to ask”) and Frage (“question”). Compare also Middle Low German qu?stie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kw?st???n/, /?kw?stj?n/, /?kw??t???n/
• (US also) IPA^(key): /?kw??t?n/
• Hyphenation: ques?tion

Noun

question (plural questions)

1. A sentence, phrase or word which asks for information, reply or response; an interrogative.

2. A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
3. A doubt or challenge about the truth, accuracy, or validity of a matter.

   • There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

   • 1623, Francis Bacon, An Advertisement touching an Holy War

     It is to be to question, whether it be lawful for Christian princes or states to make an invasive war, only and simply for the propagation of the faith.
4. A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.

5. (now archaic, historical, chiefly with definite article) Interrogation by torture.
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. II, ch. 77:

     I, not at all ambitious of the crown of martyrdom, resolved to temporize: so that, when I was brought to the question the second time, I made a solemn recantation […] .
6. (obsolete) Talk; conversation; speech.

Synonyms

• (interrogative): inquiry, enquiry, query, interrogation
• (subject): subject, topic, problem, consideration, proposition
• (doubt): issue, doubt
• (proposal): proposal

Derived terms

Related terms

• query
• quest

Translations

Verb

question (third-person singular simple present questions, present participle questioning, simple past and past participle questioned)

1. (transitive) To ask questions of; to interrogate; to ask for information.
2. (transitive) To raise doubts about; have doubts about.
   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     He questioned South Korean claims that China is a major source of its pollution.

3. (intransitive) To ask a question or questions; inquire or seek to know; examine.
   • 1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse

     He that questioneth much shall learn much.

4. (intransitive, obsolete) To argue; to converse; to dispute.

Synonyms

• frain, quaeritate (obsolete)

Derived terms

• questioner

Translations

See also

• answer
• ask
• interrogative

References

• question in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• question at OneLook Dictionary Search

French

Alternative forms

• quæstion (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old French question, borrowed from Latin quaesti?, quaesti?nem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?s.tj??/
• Rhymes: -j??

Noun

question f (plural questions)

1. a question

2. a matter or issue; a problem

Derived terms

Further reading

• “question” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• quêtions, toniques

Interlingua

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwes?tjon/

Noun

question (plural questiones)

1. question

Middle English

Noun

question

1. Alternative form of questioun

Old French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quaesti?, quaesti?nem.

Noun

question f (oblique plural questions, nominative singular question, nominative plural questions)

1. question (verbal statement intended to elicit a response)
2. question (problem in need of resolution)

Descendants

• ? Middle English: questioun, question, questiun, questyon, questyounn, qwestyon, qwestioun
  • English: question
  • Scots: quaisten, quastin
  • ? Welsh: cwestiwn
• French: question
  • ? Romanian: chestie, chestiune
• Norman: tchestchion (Jersey)

References

• question on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub