question (ˈkwɛstʃən
)
Definitions
noun
- a form of words addressed to a person in order to elicit information or evoke a response; interrogative sentence
- a point at issue ⇒
it's only a question of time until she dies
the question is how long they can keep up the pressure
- a difficulty or uncertainty; doubtful point ⇒
a question of money
there's no question about it
- an act of asking
- an investigation into some problem or difficulty
- a motion presented for debate by a deliberative body
- See put the question
- law a matter submitted to a court or other tribunal for judicial or quasi-judicial decision
- See question of fact
- See question of law
- See beg the question
- See beyond (all) question
- See call in
- See in question
- See out of the question
- See pop the question
verb (mainly tr)
- to put a question or questions to (a person); interrogate
- to make (something) the subject of dispute or disagreement
- to express uncertainty about the validity, truth, etc, of (something); doubt
Alternative Forms
ˈquestioner nounWord Origin
C13: via Old French from Latin quaestiō, from quaerere to seekSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
difficulty,
problem,
doubt,
debate,
argument,
dispute,
controversy,
confusion,
uncertainty,
query,
contention,
misgiving,
can of worms,
dubiety,
=
issue,
point,
matter,
subject,
problem,
debate,
proposal,
theme,
motion,
topic,
proposition,
bone of contention,
point at issue
=
interrogate,
cross-examine,
interview,
examine,
investigate,
pump,
probe,
grill,
quiz,
ask questions
sound out,
catechize,
=
dispute,
challenge,
doubt,
suspect,
oppose,
query,
distrust,
mistrust,
call into question,
disbelieve,
impugn,
cast aspersions on cast doubt upon
controvert,
Quotations
"Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer"
"Ask no questions and hear no lies"
Translations
- British English:
question
A question is something which you say or write in order to ask about a particular matter.He refused to answer further questions.ˈkwɛstʃən NOUN He refused to answer further questions.
- Spanish:
pregunta
nf
- French:
question
nf
- German:
Frage
mf
- Chinese: 问题 n
- Arabic: سُؤَال n
- Portuguese: questão nf
- Russian: вопрос nm
- Croatian: pitanje nnt
- Czech: otázka nf
- Danish: spørgsmål nnt
- Dutch: vraag n
- Finnish: kysymys n
- Greek: ερώτηση nf
- Italian: domanda nf
- Japanese: 質問 n
- Korean: 질문 n
- Norwegian: spørsmål nnt
- Polish: pytanie nnt
- Brazilian Portuguese: questão nf
- European Spanish:
pregunta
nf
- Swedish: fråga nutr
- Thai: คำถาม n
- Turkish: soru n
- Vietnamese: câu hỏi n
- British English:
question
If you question someone, you ask them questions about something.I questioned him on his adventures.ˈkwɛstʃən VERB I questioned him on his adventures.
- Spanish:
preguntar
v
- French:
questionner
vt
- German:
befragen
v
- Chinese: 询问 v
- Arabic: يَسْتَجْوِب v
- Portuguese: questionar v
- Russian: задавать вопрос v
- Croatian: dovesti u pitanje v
- Czech: vyslýchat v
- Danish: sætte spørgsmålstegn ved v
- Dutch: betwijfelen v
- Finnish: asettaa kyseenalaiseksi v
- Greek: αμφιβάλλω v
- Italian: interrogare v
- Japanese: 質問する v
- Korean: 질문하다 v
- Norwegian: spørre v
- Polish: zadać pytania v zadawać pytania
- Brazilian Portuguese: questionar v
- European Spanish:
preguntar
v
- Swedish: ifrågasätta v
- Thai: ไต่ถาม v
- Turkish: sormak v
- Vietnamese: hỏi v
Usage examples
Let her breathe the air outside of Sanctuary for a time and then ask her the same question.
, TREASON KEEP (2001)This is no way to build our culture and throws into question the place of the arts and museums in the Government's pecking order.
Country Life (2005)At the centre of the debate is the question whether the successful Afghanistan campaign experience can be replicated in Iraq.
Irish Times (2002)Whether the government will provide the essential bridging subsidies to help farmers make the change is the big question.
Glasgow Herald (2001)Some extraverts, busy focusing on what they do, find the question of why they do what they do impossible to answer.
, BEYOND FEAR (2002)