Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IN-VEST'I-GATE, v.t. [L. investigo; in and vestigo, to follow a track, to search; vestigium, a track or footstep.]

To search into; to inquire and examine into with care and accuracy; to find out by careful disquisition; as, to investigate the powers and forces of nature; to investigate the causes of natural phenomena; to investigate the principles of moral duty; to investigate the conduct of an agent or the motives of a prince.