inquest
- inquest
-
/in"kwest/, n.
1. a legal or judicial inquiry, usually before a jury, esp. an investigation made by a coroner into the cause of a death.
2. the body of people appointed to hold such an inquiry, esp. a coroner's jury.
3. the decision or finding based on such inquiry.
4. an investigation or examination.
[
1250-1300; ME < ML inquesta, equiv. to L in- IN-2 + quaesita, pl. (taken in ML as fem. sing.) of quaesitum question (see QUEST); r. ME enqueste < AF < ML, as above]
Syn. 1. hearing, inquisition.
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judicial inquiry by a group of persons appointed by a court. The most common type is the inquest set up to investigate a death apparently occasioned by unnatural means. Witnesses are examined, and a special jury returns a verdict on the cause of death. In England inquests are also required when there is loss or injury in a fire. The inquest is confined to common-law jurisdictions that have a coroner system.
Although the European civil-law (
civil law) system has a long tradition of the use of medical evidence and professional witnesses in court, it has no procedure similar to the inquest.
See also coroner's jury.
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Universalium.
2010.
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inquest — in·quest / in ˌkwest/ n [Anglo French enqueste, from Old French, ultimately from Latin inquirere to ask about, from in within, into + quaerere to seek] 1: a judicial or official inquiry or examination often before a jury a coroner s inquest… … Law dictionary
Inquest — In quest, n. [OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enqu[^e]te, LL. inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p. p. of inquirere. See {Inquire}.] 1. Inquiry; quest; search. [R.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
inquest — late 13c., an queste legal or judicial inquiry, from O.Fr. enqueste inquiry, from V.L. *inquaestia (Cf. It. inchiesta), from fem. pp. of V.L. *inquirere inquire (see INQUIRE (Cf. inquire)) … Etymology dictionary
inquest — investigation, probe, inquiry, inquisition, research Analogous words: examination, inspection, scrutiny, audit (see under SCRUTINIZE): questioning, interrogation, catechizing, examining (see corresponding verbs at ASK) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
inquest — [n] investigation delving, examination, hearing, inquiry, inquisition, probe, probing, quest, research, trial; concepts 48,290,318 Ant. conclusion, findings … New thesaurus
inquest — ► NOUN 1) a judicial inquiry to ascertain the facts relating to an incident. 2) Brit. an inquiry by a coroner s court into the cause of a death. ORIGIN Old French enqueste, from Latin inquirere, from quaerere speak … English terms dictionary
inquest — [in′kwest΄] n. [ME enqueste < OFr < VL * inquaesita, fem. pp. of * inquaerere: see INQUIRE] 1. a judicial inquiry, as a coroner s investigation of a death 2. the jury or group holding such an inquiry 3. the verdict of such an inquiry … English World dictionary
inquest — noun (esp. BrE) investigation into cause of death ADJECTIVE ▪ full ▪ fresh ▪ coroner s VERB + INQUEST ▪ conduct, hold … Collocations dictionary
Inquest — For other uses, see Inquest (disambiguation). An inquest is a judicial investigation in common law jurisdictions, conducted by a judge, jury, or government official. The most common kind of inquest is an inquiry including a medical examination by … Wikipedia
inquest — UK [ˈɪŋkwest] / US [ˈɪŋˌkwest] noun [countable] Word forms inquest : singular inquest plural inquests 1) an official attempt by a court to find the cause of someone s death inquest into: an inquest into the death of her husband hold an inquest:… … English dictionary
inquest — n. 1) to conduct, hold an inquest 2) a coroner s; formal inquest 3) an inquest into * * * [ ɪnkwest] formal inquest hold aninquest a coroner s an inquest into to conduct … Combinatory dictionary
