different between question vs duty

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

English

Etymology

From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe) + Middle English -te, (borrowed from Old French -te from Latin -t?tem, accusative masculine singular of -t?s). Akin to due + -ty (Alternative form of -ity).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?dju?ti/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /du?ti/
• Rhymes: -u?ti
• Homophone: doody (for some speakers)

Noun

duty (countable and uncountable, plural duties)

1. That which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
   • 1805, 21 October, Horatio Nelson

     England expects that every man will do his duty.

   • Captain Edward Carlisle […] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, […]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.
2. The state of being at work and responsible for or doing a particular task.

3. A tax placed on imports or exports; a tariff.

   customs duty; excise duty

4. (obsolete) One's due, something one is owed; a debt or fee.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Matthew XX:

     Take that which is thy duty, and goo thy waye.

5. (obsolete) Respect; reverence; regard; act of respect; homage.
6. The efficiency of an engine, especially a steam pumping engine, as measured by work done by a certain quantity of fuel; usually, the number of pounds of water lifted one foot by one bushel of coal (94 lbs. old standard), or by 1 cwt. (112 lbs., England, or 100 lbs., United States).

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with "duty": public, private, moral, legal, social, double, civic, contractual, political, judicial, etc.

Synonyms

• (that which one is obligated to do): obligation

Antonyms

• duty-free (taxes)
• (that which one is obligated to do): right

Derived terms

Related terms

• due

Translations

Further reading

• duty in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• duty in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• duty at OneLook Dictionary Search

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?dut?]

Participle

duty

1. past passive participle of du?

Declension