question

[ kwes-chuhn ]

/ ˈkwɛs tʃən /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR question ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a sentence in an interrogative form, addressed to someone in order to get information in reply.

a problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter for investigation.

a matter of some uncertainty or difficulty; problem (usually followed by of): It was simply a question of time.

a subject of dispute or controversy.

a proposal to be debated or voted on, as in a meeting or a deliberative assembly.

the procedure of putting a proposal to vote.

Politics. a problem of public policy submitted to the voters for an expression of opinion.

Law.

a controversy that is submitted to a judicial tribunal or administrative agency for decision.
the interrogation by which information is secured.
Obsolete. judicial examination or trial.

the act of asking or inquiring; interrogation; query.

inquiry into or discussion of some problem or doubtful matter.

verb (used with object)

to ask (someone) a question; ask questions of; interrogate.

to ask or inquire.

to make a question of; doubt: He questioned her sincerity.

to challenge or dispute: She questioned the judge's authority in the case.

verb (used without object)

to ask a question or questions.

Nearby words

quesada, gonzalo jiménez de, quesadilla, quesnay, quesnay, françois, quest, question, question mark, question master, question of fact, question of law, question period

Idioms

beg the question. beg¹(def 9).

beyond question, beyond dispute; without doubt: It was, beyond question, a magnificent performance.Also beyond all question.

call in/into question,

to dispute; challenge.
to cast doubt upon; question: This report calls into question all previous research on the subject.

in question,

under consideration.
in dispute.

out of the question, not to be considered; unthinkable; impossible: She thought about a trip to Spain but dismissed it as out of the question.

Origin of question

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English questio(u)n, questiun < Anglo-French questiun, Middle French question < Latin quaestiōn- (stem of quaestiō), equivalent to quaes-, stem of quaerere to ask + -tiōn- -tion; (v.) late Middle English < Middle French questioner, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR question

1 inquiry, query, interrogation.

11 query, examine.

12 See inquire.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR question ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR question

1, 11 answer, reply.

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Related forms

ques·tion·er, nouncoun·ter·ques·tion, noun, verbout·ques·tion, verb (used with object)pre·ques·tion, verb (used with object)

re·ques·tion, verb (used with object)sub·ques·tion, noun

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

Examples from the Web for question

She narrowed her eyes, bit her lip as if to chew over the question, and whisked some stray blond hairs away from her face.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He also bragged about earning a PhD, a point Smerconish did not question.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence|Jason Berry|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Her post-crown fame, though, only further begs the question: Why has there not been another Jewish Miss America since 1945?
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America?|Emily Shire|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The woman in question, meanwhile, has business of her own to take care of—she is reported to be shopping a memoir.
From Playboy Prince to Dirty Old Man?|Tom Sykes|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

One question was why Lynch did not think this was also true of cops who turned their backs earlier on Sunday.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This, then, is the man who has undertaken to crush my friend Lecour on the question of extraction!
The False Chevalier|William Douw Lighthall
“Nothing at all, chère petite madame”—question and answer came many times a day.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
I wrote the one here in question, which met with general acceptance; and I do not remember that any one else competed.
The Germ|Various
Again a question bellowed forth from the megaphone, "Oh, Lucien: where did he hit you?"
William Adolphus Turnpike|William Banks
That was a very serious matter, apparently, and there was no question that it was true.
The History of Cuba, vol. 1|Willis Fletcher Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for question

question

/ (ˈkwɛstʃən) /

noun

a form of words addressed to a person in order to elicit information or evoke a response; interrogative sentence

a point at issueit's only a question of time until she dies; the question is how long they can keep up the pressure

a difficulty or uncertainty; doubtful pointa question of money; there's no question about it

an act of asking
an investigation into some problem or difficulty

a motion presented for debate by a deliberative body

put the question to require members of a deliberative assembly to vote on a motion presented

law a matter submitted to a court or other tribunal for judicial or quasi-judicial decision

question of fact (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the jury

question of law (in English law) that part of the issue before a court that is decided by the judge

beg the question

to avoid giving a direct answer by posing another question
to assume the truth of that which is intended to be provedSee petitio principii

beyond (all) question beyond (any) dispute or doubt

call in or into question

to make (something) the subject of disagreement
to cast doubt upon the validity, truth, etc, of (something)

in question under discussionthis is the man in question

out of the question beyond consideration; unthinkable or impossiblethe marriage is out of the question

pop the question informal to propose marriage

verb (mainly tr)

to put a question or questions to (a person); interrogate

to make (something) the subject of dispute or disagreement

to express uncertainty about the validity, truth, etc, of (something); doubt

Derived Formsquestioner, noun

Word Origin for question

C13: via Old French from Latin quaestiō, from quaerere to seek

usage

The question whether should be used rather than the question of whether or the question as to whether: this leaves open the question whether he acted correctly

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

Word Origin and History for question (1 of 2)

question

early 13c., "philosophical or theological problem;" early 14c. as "utterance meant to elicit an answer or discussion," also as "a difficulty, a doubt," from Anglo-French questiun, Old French question "question, difficulty, problem; legal inquest, interrogation, torture," from Latin quaestionem (nominative quaestio) "a seeking, a questioning, inquiry, examining, judicial investigation," noun of action from past participle stem of quaerere "ask, seek" (see query (v.)).

No question "undoubtedly" is from mid-15c; no questions asked "accountability not required" is from 1879 (especially in newspaper advertisements seeking the return of something lost or stolen). Question mark is from 1849, sometimes also question stop (1862); figurative use is from 1869. To be out of the question (c.1700) is to be not pertinent to the subject, hence "not to be considered."

Word Origin and History for question (1 of 2)

question

late 15c., from question (n.) and from Middle French questionner "ask questions, interrogate, torture" (13c.), from question (n.). Related: Questioned; questioning. Alternative questionize attested from 1847.

Idioms and Phrases with question

question

see ask a stupid question; beg the question; beside the point (question); beyond question; burning question; call in question; in question; leading question; loaded question; open question; out of the question; pop the question; rhetorical question; without question.

question