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inquire of

C1 formal inseparable transitive
In simple words

To formally ask a person for information.

Meanings

1 C1 formal

To formally or politely ask a person for specific information.

"She inquired of the receptionist whether the manager was available."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Very formal and old-fashioned. More common in older literature, legal writing, or very formal correspondence. In modern everyday speech, 'ask' is almost always used instead. Phrasing: 'inquire of someone whether/what/how'.

Commonly used with

colleague officer secretary representative whether what

Forms

Base
inquire of
I/you/we/they
3rd person
inquires of
he/she/it
Past simple
inquired of
yesterday
Past participle
inquired of
have + pp
-ing form
inquiring of
continuous

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