From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinquiryin‧quir‧y, enquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪəri $ ɪnˈkwaɪri, ˈɪŋkwəri/ ●●○ S3 W2 noun (plural inquiries) 1 [countable]ASK A QUESTION a question you ask in order to get informationinquiry about We’re getting a lot of inquiries about our new London–Rio service.inquiry from inquiries from potential applicants I don’t know who sent the gift, but I’ll make some inquiries.help the police with their inquiries British English (=to answer questions about a crime)► see thesaurus at question2 [uncountable]ASK A QUESTION the act or process of asking questions in order to get information On further inquiry, it emerged that Malcolm had not been involved in the incident. The local council set up a committee of inquiry to look into policing arrangements.scientific/intellectual inquiry3 [countable]INVESTIGATE an official process to find out about somethinginquiry into a judicial inquiry into the deathslaunch/set up/hold an inquiry (into something) The Civil Aviation Authority has agreed to hold an inquiry into the accident. The police have launched a murder inquiry. Parents have called for an independent inquiry into the accident. → line of inquiry at line1(12)COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a question you ask in order to get informationverbsmake an inquiryThe police are making inquiries to discover the cause of the accident.get/have an inquiry (=receive it)We’ve already had a lot of inquiries about membership of the new sports centre.receive an inquiry formal:The television station has received several inquiries from viewers requesting a repeat of the programme.handle/deal with an inquiryStaff will be available to deal with inquiries.answer an inquiry (also respond to an inquiry formal)The government has not yet answered our inquiry.adjectivesa general inquiryThere is a need for a general inquiry into the train company’s safety standards.a specific inquiryHis job is to answer specific inquiries by individuals or groups.a written inquiryI submitted a written inquiry to the local council.phrasesa flood/stream of inquiriesThe special offer has produced a flood of inquiries from interested customers. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: an official process to find out about somethingverbshold an inquiryThe government has refused to hold an inquiry into the incident.launch/set up an inquiry (=start it)Police launched an inquiry yesterday after a man was killed by a patrol car.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + inquiry an official inquiryThe outcome of the official inquiry will be eagerly awaited.a public inquiry (=one which is open to members of the public)MPs are demanding a public inquiry into the explosion at the nuclear power station.an independent inquiry (=one that is organized by people who are not involved in a situation)The Labour Party is calling for an independent inquiry into the conduct of the police.a police inquiryThe case has been reopened with a police inquiry.a judicial inquiry (=one involving a judge)Calls for a judicial inquiry into the affair are growing louder.a government inquiry (=organized by the government)A government inquiry was set up into discipline in schools.a murder inquiryPolice say they haven’t launched a murder inquiry at this stage.an accident inquiryThe accident inquiry revealed that the accident had been caused by human error.a parliamentary/congressional inquiry (=by Parliament/Congress)The report of a parliamentary inquiry into the drugs trade is published today.
Examples from the Corpus
inquiry• Local people are calling for an inquiry into the accident.• An inquiry will be held to discover why the school's educational record is so bad.• On further inquiry, it became clear that Walters had not been involved.• The chancellor must convince students that the inquiry was thorough and fair.• The inquiry will be supervised by a senior judge.scientific/intellectual inquiry• But we shall not find a consistent position in which the tasks of biblical exegesis and scientific inquiry were no longer mutually relevant.• In assessing whether a particular doctrine might have encouraged scientific inquiry, such ambivalence must be taken into account.• The fear of sounding racist has conspired to stifle debate and suppress legitimate scientific inquiry.• In fact, the mathematical details are usually secondary to the logic of scientific inquiry.• Mahfouz was applying the spirit of scientific inquiry to spiritual matters.• It insisted on wholly open intellectual inquiry, and on a related entire tolerance.• It is also the explanation of political behavior that has been least fully explored by means of social scientific inquiry.• All three of Kane's categories suffer from implausible assumptions which belong in the realms of racist folklore rather than scientific inquiry.independent inquiry• Opposition parties of both the right and left joined with the unions in calling for an independent inquiry into the Fez incidents.• He hoped that it would express disquiet at the circumstances of the Tully-West shooting and would call publicly for an independent inquiry.• The document could not be used for an independent inquiry arising out of other facts.• It has decided to launch an independent inquiry, to see whether more could have been done to help him.• They still want an independent inquiry conducted by doctors from outside the Oxfordshire Health Authority.• An independent inquiry into the death of Ashley Kriel, and for his killers to be brought to trial.• Stephen Merrell says a full independent inquiry should be held.• They had been spoon-fed for so long that they had lost the habit of independent inquiry.From Longman Business Dictionaryinquiryin‧quir‧y /ɪnˈkwaɪəriɪnˈkwaɪri, ˈɪŋkwəri/ noun (plural inquiries)1[countable] a question you ask in order to get informationHe has received a flood of telephone inquiries from small investors.customers who call in just to make inquiries2[uncountable] when you ask questions in order to get informationMr. Gilberd agreed to this transaction without further inquiry.3[countable] an official process, in the form of a series of meetings, intended to find out why something happenedinquiry intoThe Commission conducted an inquiry into allegations of unfair business practices. 