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Definition of inquest noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

inquest

noun
 
/ˈɪŋkwest/
 
/ˈɪŋkwest/
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  1. an official investigation to find out the cause of somebody’s death, especially when it has not happened naturally
    • An inquest was held to discover the cause of death.
    • inquest (on/into something) a coroner’s inquest into his death
    • At the inquest they heard that the car had driven off after the accident.
    Extra Examples
    • An elderly woman froze to death, an inquest heard yesterday.
    • An inquest found that the deceased had died of a cerebral haemorrhage.
    • The court ordered a fresh inquest into the tragedy.
    • The inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.
    • an inquest on three fishermen
    • There will be a coroner's inquest into his death.
    Topics Law and justicec2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • full
    • fresh
    • coroner’s
    verb + inquest
    • conduct
    • hold
    • order
    inquest + verb
    • open
    • hear something
    • decide something
    inquest + noun
    • jury
    • verdict
    preposition
    • at a/​the inquest
    • inquest into
    • inquest on
    See full entry
  2. inquest (on/into something) a discussion about something that has failed
    • An inquest was held on the team's poor performance.
    • There will inevitably be an inquest into the team's poor performance.
  3. Word OriginMiddle English from Old French enqueste, based on Latin inquirere (based on quaerere ‘seek’).
See inquest in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
influence
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