Inquest
Inquest , noun
[Old English enqueste, Old French enqueste, French enquête, Late Latin inquesta, for inquisita, from Latin inquisitus, past participle of inquirere. See Inquire.]
1.
Inquiry; quest; search. [Rare] — Spenser
The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after science.
2.
(a) (Law) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death.
(b)
(Law) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into any matter, civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand.
(c)
(Law) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry.
Collocations (2)
Coroner's inquest , an inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner.
Inquest of office , an inquiry made, by authority or direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of the crown or of the state. — Craig. Bouvier