quest

[ kwest ]

/ kwɛst /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR quest ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something: a quest for uranium mines; a quest for knowledge.

Medieval Romance. an adventurous expedition undertaken by a knight or knights to secure or achieve something: the quest of the Holy Grail.

those engaged in such an expedition.

British Dialect. inquest.

Obsolete. a jury of inquest.

verb (used without object)

to search; seek (often followed by for or after): to quest after hidden treasure.

to go on a quest.

Hunting. (of a dog)

to search for game.
to bay or give tongue in pursuit of game.

verb (used with object)

to search or seek for; pursue.

Nearby words

query language, querétaro, ques., quesadilla, quesnay, quest, question, question mark, question master, question of fact, question of law

Origin of quest

1275–1325; (noun) Middle English queste < Old French < Latin quaesīta, feminine past participle of quaerere to seek; (v.) Middle English questen < Old French quester, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR quest

1 hunt, seeking, journey, mission, enterprise.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR quest ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

quest·er, nounquest·ing·ly, adverbun·quest·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for quest

Our quest for better leaders—“Change we can believe in”— is wishful thinking.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But sometimes, the quest for facts lets us down, or leads us astray, and leaves us worse off than before, not better.
On Torture, Chuck Johnson & Sondheim|James Poulos|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She began her quest for equal rights shortly after her three-month sentence.
A Quorum For Change: The Fight For Global LGBT Equality|Justin Jones|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Evidence of the interest of this respected figure propelled Vieira on his quest.
Hunting for a Real-Life Hagrid|Nina Strochlic|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Where does the quest for beauty and hedonistic impulses begin and end?
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
(The Gellerman motivationand productivity film series)A Quest production.
Motion Pictures 1960-1969|Copyright Office. Library of Congress.
"Would that I had half the courage for my quest," I mused, and walked slowly back to the solitary lodge.
Lords of the North|A. C. Laut
Now and then he got up from this work, to look out of the window, or to pace the room, as if in quest of new ideas.
Methods of Authors|Hugo Erichsen
It had been a tough year, filled with intensive study in the quest for an officer's commission in the Solar Guard.
The Revolt on Venus|Carey Rockwell
Quite early in the afternoon she started upon her quest for the pianist.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for quest

quest

/ (kwɛst) /

noun

the act or an instance of looking for or seeking; searcha quest for diamonds

(in medieval romance) an expedition by a knight or company of knights to accomplish some prescribed task, such as finding the Holy Grail

the object of a search; goal or targetmy quest is the treasure of the king

rare a collection of alms

verb (mainly intr)

(foll by for or after) to go in search (of)

to go on a quest

(of gun dogs or hounds)

to search for game
to bay when in pursuit of game

rare to collect alms

(also tr) archaic to go in search of (a thing); seek or pursue

Derived Forms

quester, nounquesting, adjectivequestingly, adverb

Word Origin for quest

C14: from Old French queste, from Latin quaesita sought, from quaerere to seek

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with quest

quest

see under in search of.