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# enquire

«enquire» in Mova's school dictionary: **To ask someone for information: «enquire about train times»** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

verb (enquire, enquires, enquired, enquiring); also spelled inquire

### meaning for a pupil

1) To ask someone for information: «enquire about train times». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#m1)

2) «Enquire into» means to investigate officially. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#m2)

3) «Enquire after someone» means ask how they are. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

A slightly formal word for «ask». On signs and letters: «Please enquire at reception», «Enquire within». In stories, a polite character «enquired after his health». Phrases: «enquire about», «enquire after», «enquire into», «enquire within».

### examples

- (formal) Please enquire at the front desk. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x1)
- She enquired about swimming lessons. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x2)
- He enquired after my grandmother's health. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x3)
- The police will enquire into the accident. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x4)
- I rang to enquire whether the museum was open. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x5)
- «Is it far?» she enquired. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x6)
- He enquired: ‘And who is the bridegroom?’ [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/#x7)

### note

UK often uses «enquire» for asking and «inquire» for official investigating; US mostly «inquire» for both. Nouns: «enquiry» / «inquiry». Formal; in everyday talk use «ask».

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «enquire» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/enquire/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.