quaere

See also: quære

English

Alternative forms

• quære (archaic)

Etymology

From Latin quaere, second-person singular present active imperative of quaerō (“seek, look for; ask”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɪəɹi/
• Rhymes: -ɪəɹi

Verb

quaere (third-person singular simple present quaeres, present participle quaering or quaereing, simple past and past participle quaered)

1. (archaic) To ask or query; used imperatively to introduce a question or signify doubt.
   • 1689, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding:

     Suppose then the cube and sphere placed on a table, and the blind man be made to see: quaere, whether by his sight, before he touched them, he could now distinguish and tell which is the globe, which the cube?

   • 1970, Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander:

     Now, she cannot express her emotions fully: Quaere: will she feel them fully?

Noun

quaere (plural quaeres)

1. (archaic) A question or query.
   • 1761, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume 3, Penguin, published 2003, page 216:

     Had ten dozen of hornets stung him behind in so many places all at one time,—he could not have […] started half so much, as with one single quære of three words unseasonably popping in full upon him.

References

• 1902: Websters International Dictionary.
• 1984: Concise Oxford.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “quaere”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Latin

Verb

quaere

1. second-person singular present active imperative of quaerō