inquire - enquire

inquire - enquire
If you inquire or enquire about something, you ask for information about it. There is no difference in meaning between these words. Inquire is more common, especially in American English.

We inquired about the precise circumstances surrounding the arrest.

I enquired about the scenery and Beaumont told me it was being built in a carpenter's shop in Waterloo.

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You can use inquire or enquire with a `wh'-clause.

She inquired how Ibrahim was getting on.

I enquired what the matter was.

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In writing, inquire and enquire are sometimes used in quote structures.

`Anything you need?' inquired the girl.

`Who compiles these reports?' Philip enquired.

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You do not use these verbs with a direct object. You do not say, for example, `He inquired her if she was well'.
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◊ 'ask'
Inquire and enquire are fairly formal words. In conversation, people usually use ask. Ask can be used with or without a direct object.

She asked about his work.

I asked him what he wanted.

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Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • enquire — en‧quire [ɪnˈkwaɪə ǁ ˈkwaɪr] verb [intransitive, transitive] especially BrE another spelling of inquire * * * enquire UK US /ɪnˈkwaɪər/ verb [I] UK ► INQUIRE(Cf. ↑inquire …   Financial and business terms

  • inquire — in‧quire [ɪnˈkwaɪə ǁ ˈkwaɪr] also enquire verb [intransitive] 1. to ask someone for information: inquire about • Hundreds of prospective buyers have inquired about the auction. inquire whether/​ when/​why etc …   Financial and business terms

  • enquire — Inquire In*quire , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inquiring}.] [OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enqu[ e]rir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in in + quarere to seek. See {Quest} a seeking, and cf. {Inquiry}.] [Written… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Inquire — In*quire , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Inquired}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Inquiring}.] [OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enqu[ e]rir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in in + quarere to seek. See {Quest} a seeking, and cf. {Inquiry}.] [Written also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • enquire — see INQUIRE (Cf. inquire). An alternative form mainly used in sense of to ask a question. Related: enquired; enquiring …   Etymology dictionary

  • enquire — enquire, enquiry, inquire, inquiry The forms in en and in have long been largely interchangeable. At present the in forms are dominant in all meanings in AmE, whereas in BrE there is a tendency to prefer the in forms for official or formal types… …   Modern English usage

  • inquire — (v.) late 13c., from O.Fr. enquerre ask, inquire about (Mod.Fr. enquérir), from V.L. *inquaerere, from L. in into (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + quaerere ask, seek (see QUERY (Cf. query)). Respelled 14c. on Latin model, but half Latinized enquire stil …   Etymology dictionary

  • inquire — enquire, enquiry, inquire, inquiry The forms in en and in have long been largely interchangeable. At present the in forms are dominant in all meanings in AmE, whereas in BrE there is a tendency to prefer the in forms for official or formal types… …   Modern English usage

  • Enquire — En*quire , v. i. & t. See {Inquire}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • enquire — inquire; verb 1) I enquired about training courses Syn: ask, make enquiries 2) the commission is to enquire into the payments Syn: investigate, probe, look into, research, examine, explore …   Synonyms and antonyms dictionary

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