quest
(redirected from quests)Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
quest
(kwĕst)n.
1. The act or an instance of seeking or pursuing something; a search.
2. An expedition undertaken in medieval romance by a knight in order to perform a prescribed feat: the quest for the Holy Grail.
3. Archaic
a. An inquest.
b. A jury appointed to take part in an inquest.
v.intr. quest·ed, quest·ing, quests
1. To search for something: quested for knowledge.
2. To go on a quest.
3. To search for game or bay when sighting game, as a hound.
[Middle English queste, from Old French, ultimately from Latin quaesta, from feminine of *quaestus, obsolete past participle of quaerere, to seek.]
quest′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
quest
(kwɛst)n
1. the act or an instance of looking for or seeking; search: a quest for diamonds.
2. (Historical Terms) (in medieval romance) an expedition by a knight or company of knights to accomplish some prescribed task, such as finding the Holy Grail
3. the object of a search; goal or target: my quest is the treasure of the king.
4. rare a collection of alms
vb (mainly intr)
5. (foll by: for or after) to go in search (of)
6. (Historical Terms) to go on a quest
7. (Hunting) (of gun dogs or hounds)
a. to search for game
b. to bay when in pursuit of game
8. rare to collect alms
9. (also tr) archaic to go in search of (a thing); seek or pursue
[C14: from Old French queste, from Latin quaesita sought, from quaerere to seek]
ˈquester n
ˈquesting adj
ˈquestingly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
quest
(kwɛst)n.
1. a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something.
2. an adventurous expedition, as by knights in medieval romances.
3. those engaged in such an expedition.
4. Obs. a jury of inquest.
v.i. 5. to search; seek.
6. to go on a quest.
v.t. 7. to search or seek for; pursue.
[1275–1325; Middle English queste < Old French < Latin quaesīta, feminine past participle of quaerere to seek]
quest′er, n.
quest′ing•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Quest
a body of persons appointed to hold an enquiry; a collection or donation; a jury, 1549.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Quest
go gathering orange blossoms To search for a wife. This expression is derived from the snow-white orange blossom, a popular wedding decoration that symbolizes the innocence of a young bride. The development of this phrase’s figurative sense is obvious. Its use by William E. Norris was cited by James M. Dixon in the latter’s Dictionary of Idiomatic English Phrases (1891):
“What has he come to this lovely retreat for? To gather orange blossoms?”
go in search of the golden fleece To pursue one’s destiny; to seek one’s fortune; to embark on an adventurous quest. This expression’s origin lies in the Greek myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece, in which Jason and a band of cohorts, called the Argonauts after their ship, set forth on a virtually hopeless quest to recover the golden fleece. Jason and his companions were victorious only after numerous perils. Figuratively, this expression is applied to a person who searches against great odds for great fortune.
pound the pavement To walk the streets seeking employment, to be out looking for a job, to go from door to door in search of work; also to pound or hit the sidewalks. The allusion is to feet walking back and forth “beating” the paved street. This American slang expression appeared in one of its variant forms in 0. Henry’s Options (1909):
I’m pounding the asphalt for another job.
set one’s cap for To try to gain the affections of someone to whom one is attracted; to set one’s romantic sights on; to flirt with; to make a play for. In the days when ladies always wore hats in public, a woman would don her most alluring bonnet in hopes of attracting that certain man of her dreams.
Instead of breaking my heart at his indifference, I’ll… set my cap to some newer fashion, and look out for some less difficult admirer. (Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, 1773)
wild-goose chase See FUTILITY.
Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
quest
Past participle: quested
Gerund: questing
| Imperative |
|---|
| quest |
| quest |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  quest - a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria; "the pursuit of love"; "life is more than the pursuance of fame"; "a quest for wealth"wild-goose chase - the fruitless pursuit of something unattainable search - the examination of alternative hypotheses; "his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful" |
| 2. |  quest - the act of searching for something; "a quest for diamonds" | |
| Verb | 1. | quest - make a search (for); "Things that die with their eyes open and questing"; "The animal came questing through the forest" seek - try to get or reach; "seek a position"; "seek an education"; "seek happiness" |
| 2. | quest - search the trail of (game); "The dog went off and quested" dog, give chase, go after, chase, tail, chase after, trail, track, tag - go after with the intent to catch; "The policeman chased the mugger down the alley"; "the dog chased the rabbit" | |
| 3. |  quest - bark with prolonged noises, of dogsbark - make barking sounds; "The dogs barked at the stranger" | |
| 4. | quest - seek alms, as for religious purposes | |
| 5. | quest - express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service" communicate, pass along, put across, pass on, pass - transmit information ; "Please communicate this message to all employees"; "pass along the good news" order - make a request for something; "Order me some flowers"; "order a work stoppage" ask - make a request or demand for something to somebody; "She asked him for a loan" encore - request an encore, from a performer petition - write a petition for something to somebody; request formally and in writing demand - request urgently and forcefully; "The victim's family is demanding compensation"; "The boss demanded that he be fired immediately"; "She demanded to see the manager" appeal, invoke - request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection; "appeal to somebody for help"; "Invoke God in times of trouble" supplicate - ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer; "supplicate God's blessing" apply - ask (for something); "He applied for a leave of absence"; "She applied for college"; "apply for a job" solicit, beg, tap - make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently; "Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce"; "My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities" reserve - obtain or arrange (for oneself) in advance; "We managed to reserve a table at Maxim's" challenge - ask for identification; "The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard" demand - ask to be informed of; "I demand an explanation" claim - ask for legally or make a legal claim to, as of debts, for example; "They claimed on the maximum allowable amount" call for, invite - request the participation or presence of; "The organizers invite submissions of papers for the conference" desire - express a desire for beg - ask to obtain free; "beg money and food" arrogate, lay claim, claim - demand as being one's due or property; assert one's right or title to; "He claimed his suitcases at the airline counter"; "Mr. Smith claims special tax exemptions because he is a foreign resident" ask over, ask round, invite - invite someone to one's house; "Can I invite you for dinner on Sunday night?" call - call a meeting; invite or command to meet; "The Wannsee Conference was called to discuss the `Final Solution'"; "The new dean calls meetings every week" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
quest
noun
1. search, hunt, mission, enterprise, undertaking, exploration, crusade his quest to find true love
2. expedition, journey, adventure, voyage, pilgrimage Sir Guy the Seeker came on his quest to Dunstanburgh Castle.
in quest of searching for, after, seeking, looking for, in search of, in pursuit of, on the lookout for, chasing after The Puritans became fugitives in quest of liberty.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
quest
nounverbTo try to find something:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
بَحْث عَن
hledánívýprava
søgen
leit
meklējumimeklēšana
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
quest
[ˈkwɛst]Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
quest
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
quest
(kwest) noun a search. the quest for gold; the quest for truth.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
quest
n. indagación, búsqueda, pesquisa.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012