%quire%

adj. 1. 1 (Biol.) gotten through environmental forces. Contrasted with inherited. acquired characteristics cannot be passed on noninheritable (vs. inheritable), nonheritable
Syn. -- nurtural [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The act of acquiring, or that which is acquired; attainment. “Rules for the acquirement of a taste.” Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

His acquirements by industry were . . . enriched and enlarged by many excellent endowments of nature. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Acquisition, Acquirement. Acquirement is used in opposition to a natural gift or talent; as, eloquence, and skill in music and painting, are acquirements; genius is the gift or endowment of nature. It denotes especially personal attainments, in opposition to material or external things gained, which are more usually called acquisitions; but this distinction is not always observed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who acquires. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A pimp; a kept gallant. [ Obs. ] Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & t. See Inquire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Inquirer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. escuyer, escuier, properly, a shield-bearer, F. écuyer shield-bearer, armor-bearer, squire of a knight, esquire, equerry, rider, horseman, LL. scutarius shield-bearer, fr. L. scutum shield, akin to Gr. &unr_; skin, hide, from a root meaning to cover; prob. akin to E. hide to cover. See Hide to cover, and cf. Equerry, Escutcheon. ] Originally, a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below knight and above gentleman; also, a title of office and courtesy; -- often shortened to squire. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, the title of esquire belongs by right of birth to the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetual succession; to the eldest sons of younger sons of peers and their eldest sons in perpetual succession. It is also given to sheriffs, to justices of the peace while in commission, to those who bear special office in the royal household, to counselors at law, bachelors of divinity, law, or physic, and to others. In the United States the title is commonly given in courtesy to lawyers and justices of the peace, and is often used in the superscription of letters instead of Mr. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Esquired p. pr. & vb. n. Esquiring. ] To wait on as an esquire or attendant in public; to attend. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ L. exquirere. See Exquisite. ] To search into or out. [ Obs. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Inquired p. pr. & vb. n. Inquiring. ] [ OE. enqueren, inqueren, OF. enquerre, F. enquérir, L. inquirere, inquisitum; pref. in- in + quarere to seek. See Quest a seeking, and cf. Inquiry. ] [ Written also enquire. ] 1. To ask a question; to seek for truth or information by putting queries. [ 1913 Webster ]

We will call the damsel, and inquire. Gen. xxiv. 57. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then David inquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him. 1 Sam. xxiii. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To seek to learn anything by recourse to the proper means of knowledge; to make examination. [ 1913 Webster ]

And inquire
Gladly into the ways of God with man. Miltom. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word is followed by of before the person asked; as, to inquire of a neighbor. It is followed by concerning, after, or about, before the subject of inquiry; as, his friends inquired about or concerning his welfare. “Thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.” Eccl. vii. 10. It is followed by into when search is made for particular knowledge or information; as, to inquire into the cause of a sudden death. It is followed by for or after when a place or person is sought, or something is missing. “Inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus.” Acts ix. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To ask about; to seek to know by asking; to make examination or inquiry respecting. [ 1913 Webster ]

Having thus at length inquired the truth concerning law and dispense. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

And all obey and few inquire his will. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To call or name. [ Obs. ] Spenser.

Syn. -- To ask; question. See Question. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. inquirens, p. pr. ] Making inquiry; inquiring; questioning. [ Obs. ] Shenstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Written also enquirer. ] One who inquires or examines; questioner; investigator. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Expert inquirers after truth. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To require beforehand. [ 1913 Webster ]

Some things are prerequired of us. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Choir. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

A quire of such enticing birds. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To sing in concert. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. quaer, quair, OF. quayer, cayer, caïer, F. cahier, a book of loose sheets, a quarter of a quire, LL. quaternus, quaternum, sheets of paper packed together, properly, four together, fr. L. quaterni four each, by fours, quattuor four. See Four and cf. Cahier. ] A collection of twenty-four sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold; one twentieth of a ream. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Required p. pr. & vb. n. Requiring. ] [ OE. requeren, requiren, OF. requerre, F. requ&unr_;rir; L. pref. re- re- + quaerere to ask; cf. L. requirere. See Query, and cf. Request, Requisite. ] 1. To demand; to insist upon having; to claim as by right and authority; to exact; as, to require the surrender of property. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shall I say to Caesar
What you require of him? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

By nature did what was by law required. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To demand or exact as indispensable; to need. [ 1913 Webster ]

Just gave what life required, and gave no more. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two last [ biographies ] require to be particularly noticed. J. A. Symonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To ask as a favor; to request. [ 1913 Webster ]

I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way. Ezra viii. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To claim; exact; enjoin; prescribe; direct; order; demand; need. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of requiring; demand; requisition. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is required; an imperative or authoritative command; an essential condition; something needed or necessary; a need. [ 1913 Webster ]

One of those who believe that they can fill up every requirement contained in the rule of righteousness. J. M. Mason. [ 1913 Webster ]

God gave her the child, and gave her too an instinctive knowledge of its nature and requirements. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who requires. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. esquierre, F. équerre. See Square, n. ] A square; a measure; a rule. [ Obs. ] “With golden squire.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Aphetic form of esquire. ] 1. A shield-bearer or armor-bearer who attended a knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A title of dignity next in degree below knight, and above gentleman. See Esquire. [ Eng. ] “His privy knights and squires.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A male attendant on a great personage; also (Colloq.), a devoted attendant or follower of a lady; a beau. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A title of office and courtesy. See under Esquire. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. squired p. pr. & vb. n. squiring. ] 1. To attend as a squire. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To attend as a beau, or gallant, for aid and protection; as, to squire a lady. [ Colloq. ] Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who is half squire and half farmer; -- used humorously. [ Eng. ] C. Kingsley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The rank or state of a squire; squireship. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A petty squire. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & adv. Becoming a squire; like a squire. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Squirehood. [ 1913 Webster ]