v. imper. and sb. Also 6–9 quere, (7 queer, quire). [L., imper. of quærĕre (med.L. querere) to ask, inquire. Now usually in anglicized form, QUERY.]
1. v. imper. Introducing a question or subject of inquiry: Ask, inquire; hence, ‘one may ask,’ ‘it is a question’ (whether, etc.).
1535. trans. Littleton’s Nat. Brev., 18 b (Stanf.). Quere the dyuersite.
1548. Staunford, Kinges Prerog. (1567), 54 b. But quere whether his highnes may bee brought in possession in those cases by a clayme or not.
1602. Carew, Cornwall, 135. Notwithstanding, quære, whether a causlesse ambition … turned not rather Golunt into Gallant.
1705. Hearne, Collect., 17 Dec. (O. H. S.), I. 131. Quaere more about this.
1774. J. Adams, in Fam. Lett. (1870), 3. David Sewall … has no ambition nor avarice, they say (however, quaere).
1823. J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 52. Quere, whether the natural influence of light and heat occasions this apparent coincidence.
1860. O’Donovan, Three Fragm., 126. Quære, is Conung an Hibernicized form of the Teutonic koenig or koenung, king?
2. sb. A question, QUERY.
1589. Warner, Alb. Eng., VI. xxx. (1612), 150. Thy bad doth passe by probate, but a Quere is for mee.
1619. H. Hutton, Follies Anat. (Percy Soc.), 54. It would be thought a quære at the beste.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 282. The greater Quere is, when he will come again, and yet indeed it is no Quere at all.
1736. Swift, Lett. to Pope, 25 March. I wondered a little at your quære who Cheselden was?
1856. Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., 254. ‘The quere itself is its own reply’ said I.
1863. A. J. Horwood, Yearbks. 30 & 31 Edw. I., Pref. 26, note. This appears to answer Mr. Booth’s quaere … as to the reason for the tender of the demy-mark.
Hence † Quære, quere v., to query. Obs.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 131. It might be quæred.
1663. Aron-bimn., 101. He [Origen] quæres what it is that renders a people blessed.
1681. T. Flatman, Heraclitus Ridens, No. 23 (1713), I. 153. Nay, let ’em consider of it; and let us Quere about the matter.
1756. H. Walpole, Corr. (1837), III. 137. Should not one quere whether he had not those proofs in his hands antecedent to the cabinet?
