different between inquire vs speer

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

Alternative forms

• speir, spere

Etymology 1

See sphere.

Noun

speer (plural speers)

1. (obsolete) sphere

Etymology 2

From Old English spyrian, from Proto-Germanic *spurjan?. Cognate with German spüren, Swedish spörja.

Verb

speer (third-person singular simple present speers, present participle speering, simple past and past participle speered)

1. (Scotland) to ask, to inquire

Anagrams

• Esper, Peers, Perse, Spree, esper, peers, per se, perse, pères, spere, spree

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch sp?re, from Old Dutch *speru, from Proto-Germanic *speru.

Pronunciation

Noun

speer f (plural speren, diminutive speertje n)

1. spear
2. javelin

Synonyms

• (spear): spies, lans, geer

Meronyms

• schacht
• speerpunt

Derived terms

• speerpunt

Middle English

Noun

speer

1. Alternative form of spere (“spear”)