Definition of 'question'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense questions, present participle questioning, past tense, past participle questioned
1. countable noun
A question is something that you say or write in order to ask a person about something.
2. transitive verb
If you question someone, you ask them a lot of questions about something.
3. transitive verb
If you question something, you have or express doubts about whether it is true, reasonable, or worthwhile.
5. countable noun
A question is a problem, matter, or point which needs to be considered.
6. countable noun
7. See also questioning
8.
See in question
9.
10.
11.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
question in American English
noun
1.
an asking; inquiry
2.
3.
doubt; uncertainty
no question of his veracity
4.
something in controversy before a court
5.
a problem; matter open to discussion or inquiry
6.
a matter or case of difficulty
not a question of money
verb transitive
8.
to ask a question or questions of; interrogate; put queries to
9.
to express uncertainty about; doubt
verb intransitive
11.
to ask a question or questions
SIMILAR WORDS: ask
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
questioner (ˈquestioner)
noun
Word origin
ME < Anglo-Fr questiun < OFr question < L quaestio < pp. of quaerere, to ask, inquire
Word Frequency
question in American English
(ˈkwestʃən)
noun
2.
a problem for discussion or under discussion; a matter for investigation
3. (usually fol. by of)
a matter of some uncertainty or difficulty; problem
It was simply a question of time
4.
a subject of dispute or controversy
6.
the procedure of putting a proposal to vote
8. Law
a.
a controversy that is submitted to a judicial tribunal or administrative agency for decision
b.
the interrogation by which information is secured
9.
the act of asking or inquiring; interrogation; query
10.
inquiry into or discussion of some problem or doubtful matter
12. See beyond question
13. See call in question
14. See in question
15. See out of the question
transitive verb
16.
to ask (someone) a question; ask questions of; interrogate
17.
to ask or inquire
18.
to make a question of; doubt
He questioned her sincerity
19.
to challenge or dispute
She questioned the judge's authority in the case
intransitive verb
SYNONYMS 1. inquiry, query, interrogation. 16. query, examine. 17. See inquire.ANTONYMS 1, 16. answer, reply.20.
to ask a question or questions
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
questioner noun
Word origin
[1250–1300; (n.) ME questio(u)n, questiun ‹ AF questiun, MF question ‹ L quaestiōn- (s. of quaestiō), equiv. to quaes-, s. of quaerere to ask + -tiōn- -tion; (v.) late ME ‹ MF questioner, deriv. of the n.]Word Frequency
question in British English
noun
1.
2.
a point at issue
it's only a question of time until she dies
the question is how long they can keep up the pressure
5.
6. See put the question
8. See question of fact
10. See beg the question
11. See beyond (all) question
12. See call in
13. See in question
14. See out of the question
15. See pop the question
verb (mainly tr)
▶ 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 correctly16.
to put a question or questions to (a person); interrogate
17.
to make (something) the subject of dispute or disagreement
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
questioner (ˈquestioner) noun
Word origin
C13: via Old French from Latin quaestiō, from quaerere to seek
Examples of 'question' in a sentence
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In other languages
question
British English: question
/ˈkwɛstʃən/ NOUN
A question is something which you say or write in order to ask about a particular matter.
He refused to answer further questions.
- American English: question /ˈkwɛstʃən/
- Arabic: سُؤَال
- Brazilian Portuguese: questão
- Chinese: 问题
- Croatian: pitanje
- Czech: otázka
- Danish: spørgsmål
- Dutch: vraag om antwoord te krijgen
- European Spanish: pregunta
- Finnish: kysymys
- French: question interrogation
- German: Frage
- Greek: ερώτηση
- Italian: domanda
- Japanese: 質問
- Korean: 질문
- Norwegian: spørsmål
- Polish: pytanie
- European Portuguese: questão
- Romanian: întrebare
- Russian: вопрос
- Spanish: pregunta
- Swedish: fråga
- Thai: คำถาม
- Turkish: soru
- Ukrainian: питання
- Vietnamese: câu hỏi
British English: question
/ˈkwɛstʃən/ VERB
If you question someone, you ask them questions about something.
I questioned him on his adventures.
- American English: question /ˈkwɛstʃən/
- Arabic: يَسْتَجْوِب
- Brazilian Portuguese: questionar
- Chinese: 询问
- Croatian: ispitivati
- Czech: vyslýchat
- Danish: sætte spørgsmålstegn ved
- Dutch: ondervragen
- European Spanish: preguntar
- Finnish: asettaa kyseenalaiseksi
- French: questionner
- German: befragen
- Greek: αμφιβάλλω
- Italian: interrogare
- Japanese: 質問する
- Korean: 질문하다
- Norwegian: spørre
- Polish: zadać pytania
- European Portuguese: questionar
- Romanian: a întreba
- Russian: задавать вопрос
- Spanish: preguntar
- Swedish: ifrågasätta
- Thai: ถาม
- Turkish: sormak
- Ukrainian: запитувати
- Vietnamese: hỏi
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