English Online Dictionary. What means question? What does question mean?
English
Alternative forms
- quæstion (archaic)
Etymology
From Middle English question, questioun, questiun, from Anglo-Norman questiun, from Old French question, from Latin quaestiōnem, accusative of quaestiō (“a seeking, investigation, inquiry, question”), from quaerere (“to seek, ask, inquire”). Displaced native Middle English frain, fraign (“question”) (from Old English fræġn); 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 quēstie (“questioning; inquiry”), Middle High German questje (“question”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkwɛst͡ʃən/, /ˈkwɛstjən/, /ˈkwɛʃt͡ʃən/
- (US also) IPA(key): /ˈkwɛʃtən/
- Hyphenation: ques‧tion
Noun
question (plural questions)
- A sentence, phrase or word which asks for information, reply or response; an interrogative.
- A subject or topic for consideration or investigation.
- A doubt or challenge about the truth or accuracy 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.
-
- A proposal to a meeting as a topic for deliberation.
- (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 […] .
- 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, vol. II, ch. 77:
- (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)
- (transitive) To ask questions about; to interrogate; to enquire for information.
- 1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse
- He that questioneth much shall learn much.
- 1597, Francis Bacon, Of Discourse
- (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.
- He questioned South Korean claims that China is a major source of its pollution.
- 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
- (intransitive, obsolete) To argue; to converse; to dispute.
Synonyms
- frain
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 quaestiō, quaestiōnem.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɛs.tjɔ̃/
- Rhymes: -jɔ̃
Noun
question f (plural questions)
- a question
- a matter or issue; a problem
Further reading
- “question” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Anagrams
- quêtions, toniques
Interlingua
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kwesˈtjon/
Noun
question (plural questiones)
- question
Middle English
Noun
question
- Alternative form of questioun
Old French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin quaestiō, quaestiōnem.
Noun
question f (oblique plural questions, nominative singular question, nominative plural questions)
- question (verbal statement intended to elicit a response)
- 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