| Inquisition 1. (n.) The act of inquiring; examination; a court for investigation. 2. (n.) Judicial inquiry; official examination; inquest. 3. (n.) The finding of a jury, especially such a finding under a writ of inquiry. 4. (n.) A court or tribunal for the examination and punishment of heretics, fully established by Pope Gregory IX. in 1235. Its operations were chiefly confined to Spain, Portugal, and their dependencies, and a part of Italy. 5. (v. t.) To make inquisition concerning; to inquire into. Thesaurus Entries Areopagus, analysis, assize, board, change of venue, council, court-martial, cross-examination, cross-interrogation, cross-questioning, curia, delving, direct examination, examination, forum, grilling, hearing, inquest, inquirendo, inquiring, inquiring mind, inquiry, investigation, judicatory, judicature, judiciary, jury trial, mistrial, police interrogation, probe, probing, quest, redirect examination, research, the Inquisition, the grill, third-degree, trial, trial by jury, tribunal |