- question
- [[t]kwe̱stʃ(ə)n[/t]]
♦questions, questioning, questioned1) N-COUNT: oft N about/on n A question is something that you say or write in order to ask a person about something.
They asked a great many questions about England...
The President refused to answer further questions on the subject...
Right, next question...
`Do you feel that the British gamble more than they should?' - `Well, that's a very difficult question to answer.'
2) VERB If you question someone, you ask them a lot of questions about something.[V n] This led the therapist to question Jim about his parents and their marriage...
[V n] A man is being questioned by police in connection with an attack on a disabled woman.
Derived words:questioning N-UNCOUNTThe police have detained thirty-two people for questioning.
3) VERB If you question something, you have or express doubts about whether it is true, reasonable, or worthwhile.[V n] It never occurs to them to question the doctor's decisions...
[V n] Weber is challenging his audience to question their own beliefs.
4) N-SING: with supp, also prep N If you say that there is some question about something, you mean that there is doubt or uncertainty about it. If something is in question or has been called into question, doubt or uncertainty has been expressed about it.There's no question about their success...
There's some question as to whether he will sign this resolution...
As a footballer, Le Saux's ability was beyond question...
The paper says the President's move has called into question the whole basis of democracy in the country...
Why Marlowe was killed may be open to question, but where he is buried is not...
With the loyalty of key military units in question, that could prove an extraordinarily difficult task.
5) N-COUNT: oft N of n/wh A question is a problem, matter, or point which needs to be considered.But the whole question of aid is a tricky political one...
That decision raised questions about the secretary of state's powers and the fairness of his procedure.
The question is: Is this what we really want?
...if the security question is not resolved...
It was just a question of having the time to re-adjust.
6) N-COUNT The questions in an examination are the problems which are set in order to test your knowledge or ability.He'd heard somewhere that the questions in economics examination papers stayed the same from year to year...
That question did come up in the examination.
7) → See also , cross-question, , trick question8) CONVENTION If you say `Good question' in reply to a question, you mean that it is a difficult question to answer, or perhaps that you are embarrassed about the answer or do not know the answer. [SPOKEN]`Why didn't you appoint Ron twelve months ago?' - `Good question.'
9) PHRASE: n PHR The person, thing, or time in question is one which you have just been talking about or which is relevant.The player in question is Mark Williams...
Add up all the income you've received over the period in question.
Syn:10) PHRASE: v-link PHR (emphasis) If you say that something is out of the question, you are emphasizing that it is completely impossible or unacceptable.For the homeless, private medical care is simply out of the question...
Is a tax increase still out of the question?
11) PHRASE: V inflects If you pop the question, you ask someone to marry you. [JOURNALISM, INFORMAL]Stuart got serious quickly and popped the question six months later.
Syn:12) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing, PHR n -ing (emphasis) If you say there is no question of something happening, you are emphasizing that it is not going to happen.As far as he was concerned there was no question of betraying his own comrades...
There is no question of the tax-payer picking up the bill for the party.
13) PHRASE: PHR after v If you do something without question, you do it without arguing or asking why it is necessary....military formations, carrying out without question the battle orders of superior officers.
14) PHRASE: PHR with cl (emphasis) You use without question to emphasize the opinion you are expressing.He was our greatest storyteller, without question.
English dictionary. 2008.
