enquire after
To ask how someone is doing, usually in a polite or old-fashioned way.
Meanings
To ask about someone's health, welfare, or general situation, typically in a polite or considerate way.
"She called the office to enquire after her colleague who had been off sick for a week."
"He enquired after her health with what seemed like genuine concern."
— Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, 1813
To ask for information about a particular thing or person on someone else's behalf.
"My mother asked me to enquire after your father when I saw you."
Chiefly British English; 'enquire after' is more common in British English while 'inquire after' appears in American English. Both are quite formal and mostly found in written correspondence or polite social contexts. In everyday speech, 'ask about' is far more natural.
Commonly used with
Forms
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