different between inquire vs ascertain

English

Alternative forms

• enquire (chiefly British)

Etymology

From Latin inqu?r? (“to seek for”). Displaced Middle English enqueren (from Old French enquerre, of the same source) and native Middle English speir (“ask, inquire”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?kwa??/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?kwa??/
• Rhymes: -a??(?)
• Hyphenation: in?quire

Verb

inquire (third-person singular simple present inquires, present participle inquiring, simple past and past participle inquired) (transitive, intransitive)

1. (intransitive, US) To ask (about something).

   • "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. […] A strong man—a strong one; and a heedless." ¶ "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually.

2. (intransitive) To make an inquiry or an investigation.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To call; to name.

Usage notes

• In British English, the spelling enquire is more common, with inquire often reserved for official inquests. In Canada and the US, both spellings are acceptable, though inquire is favored. In Australian English, inquire is preferred in all contexts.

Synonyms

• frain (dialect or obsolete)

Derived terms

• inquire after
• inquire of

Related terms

• inquiry
• query

Translations

See also

• inquest
• inquisition
• inquisitive
• inquisitor

Latin

Verb

inqu?re

1. second-person singular present active imperative of inqu?r?

Portuguese

Verb

inquire

1. third-person singular present indicative of inquirir
2. second-person singular imperative of inquirir

English

Etymology

From Middle English acerteynen, from Old French acertener, from a- (“to, towards”) + certener (“make sure of”), from the adjective certain, from Latin certus (“certain, fixed”). Compare to Spanish acertar.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æs??te?n/
• (US) enPR: ?s'-?r-t?n?, IPA^(key): /?æs??te?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n
• Hyphenation: as?cer?tain

Verb

ascertain (third-person singular simple present ascertains, present participle ascertaining, simple past and past participle ascertained)

1. To find out definitely; to discover or establish.

   Synonyms: determine, discover, establish, find out, learn, work out
2. (obsolete) To make (someone) certain or confident about something; to inform.
3. (archaic) To establish, to prove.
4. (archaic) To ensure or effect.

Derived terms

• ascertainable
• ascertainedly
• ascertainment

Translations

Anagrams

• Cartesian, arsacetin, cartesian, craniates, intracase, sectarian