INQUESTS
Noun
inquests
plural of inquest
Source: Wiktionary
INQUEST
In"quest, n. Etym: [OE. enqueste, OF. enqueste, F. enquête, LL.
inquesta, for inquisita, fr. L. inquisitus, p.p. of inquirere. See
Inquire.]
1. Inquiry; quest; search. [R.] Spenser.
The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul must make after
science. South.
2. (Law)
(a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a jury; as, a
coroner's inquest in case of a sudden death.
(b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to inquire into
any matterm civil or criminal, particularly any case of violent or
sudden death; a jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury
is sometimes called the grand inquest. See under Grand.
(c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry. Coroner's inquest, an
inquest held by a coroner to determine the cause of any violent,
sudden, or mysterious death. See Coroner.
– Inquest of office, an inquiry made, by authority or direction of
proper officer, into matters affecting the rights and interests of
the crown or of the state. Craig. Bouvier.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition