Emily Dickinson Lexicon

QUES'TION, n. [ques'chun; Fr. and Sp. question; L. quæstio. See Quest.]

1. The act of asking; an interrogatory; as, to examine by question and answer.
2. That which is asked; something proposed which is to be solved by answer. What is the question?
3. Inquiry; disquisition; discussion. It is to be put to question, whether it is lawful for Christian princes to make an invasive war, simply for the propagation of the faith. – Bacon.
4. Dispute or subject of debate. There arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews, about purifying. – John iii.
5. Doubt; controversy; dispute. The story is true beyond all question. This does not bring their truth in question. – Locke.
6. Trial; examination; judicial trial or inquiry. Of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. – Acts xxiii. xxiv.
7. Examination by torture. – Blackstone. Ayliffe.
8. Endeavor; effort; act of seeking. [Not in use.] – Shak.
9. In logic, a proposition stated by way of interrogation. In question, in debate; in the course of examination or discussion; as, the matter or point in question.

QUES'TION, v.i.

1. To ask a question or questions; to inquire by interrogatory or proposition to be answered. He that questioneth much, shall learn much. – Bacon.
2. To debate by interrogatories. – Shak.

QUES'TION, v.t.

1. To inquire of by asking questions; to examine by interrogatories; as, to question a witness.
2. To doubt of; to be uncertain of. And most we question what we most desire. – Prior.
3. To have no confidence in; to treat as doubtful. If a man is frustrated in his designs, his prudence is questioned.

QUES'TION-A-BLE, a.

1. That may be questioned; doubtful; uncertain; disputable. The deed is of questionable authority. It is questionable whether Galen ever saw the dissection of a human body. – Baker.
2. Suspicious; liable to be doubted or disputed; liable to suspicion. His veracity is questionable. Thou com'st in such a questionable shape, / That I will speak to thee. – Shak.

QUES'TION-A-BLE-NESS, n.

The quality or state of being doubtful, questionable or suspicious.

QUES'TION-A-BLY, adv.

Doubtfully.

QUES'TION-A-RY, a.

Inquiring; asking questions; as, questionary epistles. – Pope.

QUES'TION-ED, pp.

1. Interrogated; examined by questions.
2. Doubted; disputed.

QUES'TION-ER, n.

One that asks questions; an inquirer.

QUES'TION-ING, ppr.

Interrogating; calling in question; doubting.

QUES'TION-IST, n.

A questioner; an inquirer. – Hall.

QUES'TION-LESS, adv.

Beyond a question or doubt; doubtless; certainly. – Ralegh. South.

QUEST'MAN, or QUEST'MON-GER, n.

A starter of lawsuits or prosecutions. [Not used.] – Bacon.

QUES'TOR, n. [L. quæstor. See Quest and Query.]

In Roman antiquity, an officer who had the management of the public treasure; the receiver of taxes, tribute, &c.

QUES'TOR-SHIP, n.

1. The office of a questor or Roman treasurer.
2. The term of a questor's office.

QUES'TRIST, n.

A seeker; a pursuer. [Not in use.] – Shak.

QUES'TU-A-RY, a.

Studious of profit. – Brown.

QUES'TU-A-RY, n.

One employed to collect profits. – Taylor.

QUEUE, n. [See CUE.]

QUIB, n. [W. cwip, a flirt, a quirk, or gwib, a quick course or turn; cwipiaw, to move quickly, to whip; as we say, he whipped round the corner.]

A sarcasm; a bitter taunt; a quip; a gibe.

QUIB'BLE, n. [it seems to be from the root of quib, supra, W. cwipiaw, to turn or move rapidly, or gwibiaw, to wander. See Wabble.]

1. A start or turn from the point in question, or from plain truth; an evasion; a cavil; a pretense; as, to answer a sound argument by quibbles. Quirks and quibbles have no place in the search after truth. – Watts.
2. A pun; a low conceit. – Addison.

QUIB'BLE, v.i.

1. To evade the point in question, or plain truth, by artifice, play upon words, caviling or any conceit; to trifle in argument or discourse. – L'Estrange.
2. To pun.

QUIB'BLER, n.

1. One who evades plain truth by trifling artifices, play upon words, or cavils.
2. A punster.

QUIB'BLING, ppr.

Evading the truth by artifice or play upon words; punning.

QUIB'BLING-LY, adv.

Triflingly; evasively.