inquisition

name

1. A tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church set up to investigate and suppress heresy.

   “We know from history that the Catholic Church has historically murdered, mutilated, castrated, maimed, imprisoned and flogged homosexuals. Catholic atrocities during the Inquisition are well documented and cannot be denied. The Church no longer does those things to homosexuals, but it violates their human rights in other ways.”

2. A harsh or rigorous interrogation that violates one’s rights.

noun

Etymology: From Old French inquisicion, from Latin inquisitio, from inquirere. The sense implying persecution is influenced by the name of the Spanish Inquisition, which is a cardinal exemplar of government inquisitions that give inquisitions a bad name.

1. An inquiry or investigation into the truth of some matter.

   “But as farrefoorth as I coulde learne, through earneſt inquiſition I thoughte in my conſcience the woman was not gilty, all the circumſtances well conſydered.”

   “Let not search and inquisition quail / To bring again these foolish runaways.”

2. An inquiry or investigation into the truth of some matter.
3. An inquest.
4. A questioning.
5. The finding of a jury, especially such a finding under a writ of inquiry.

   “The justices in eyre had it formerly in charge to make inquisition concerning them by a jury of the county.”

verb

Etymology: From Old French inquisicion, from Latin inquisitio, from inquirere. The sense implying persecution is influenced by the name of the Spanish Inquisition, which is a cardinal exemplar of government inquisitions that give inquisitions a bad name.

1. To make inquisition concerning; to inquire into.

   “And in their name I shall for neither friend nor foe conceal what the general murmur is ; that if it come to inquisitioning again”