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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Enquire: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：ask for information (enquire)

enquire 🔊

/ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)/

To ask about something to get information.

Enquire definition illustrated: person asking for information at a help desk.

ask for information 🔊

➕

/ˈɑːsk fər ɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

To request details or knowledge about something in a general manner.

📁 Category：Transportation & Travel 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'in-' (into) + 'quaerere' (to seek). Literally 'to seek into'.

💡 Mnemonic

ENter a QUIRy. Imagine entering (EN) a question (QUIRy) to get answers.

📖 Example

Before booking the trip, I called the hotel to enquire about their breakfast options and parking facilities. 🔊 Before booking the trip, I called the hotel to ask for information about their breakfast options and parking facilities.

🔗 Collocations

enquire about – To ask for information concerning a specific subject.

enquire within – A phrase used on signs to direct someone to ask for more details inside a place.

enquire after – To ask about someone's health or well-being.

🔄 Synonyms

ask (v.) – A general term for posing a question.

inquire (v.) – A formal synonym, often used interchangeably with 'enquire'.

query (v.) – To ask a question, often expressing doubt or seeking clarification.

🚫 Antonyms

answer (v.) – To respond to a question or request for information.

🌱 Derivatives

enquiry (n.) – An act of asking for information.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Old French 'enquerre', and ultimately from Latin 'inquirere' (to search into). It's a formal variant of 'inquire', commonly preferred in British English and in contexts like customer service or official forms (e.g., 'Please enquire within').

Meaning 2：investigate formally (enquire)

enquire 🔊

/ɪnˈkwaɪə(r)/

To look into something formally or carefully to find out the facts.

Enquire meaning: professional formally investigating documents at a desk.

investigate formally 🔊

➕

/ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt ˈfɔːrməli/

To examine or look into something systematically to discover facts or information.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The school principal decided to enquire into the cause of the noise coming from the empty classroom after hours. 🔊 The school principal decided to investigate formally into the cause of the noise coming from the empty classroom after hours.

🔗 Collocations

enquire into – To conduct a formal investigation or examination of something.

enquire deeply – To investigate something thoroughly and in detail.

enquire officially – To make an investigation through proper channels or authority.

🔄 Synonyms

investigate (v.) – To carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to uncover facts.

probe (v.) – To inquire into something very closely and thoroughly.

examine (v.) – To inspect or scrutinize carefully to determine the nature or condition.

🚫 Antonyms

ignore (v.) – To refuse to take notice of or acknowledge; to disregard.

🌱 Derivatives

enquiry (n.) – A formal investigation or systematic questioning.

inquiry (n.) – The American English spelling, often used for formal investigations (e.g., a government inquiry).