Meaning of question In English

• 0 a sentence or phrase used to find out information:

  • The police asked me questions all day.

  • Why won't you answer my question?

  • "So where is the missing money?" "That's a good question." (= I don't know the answer.)

  • There will be a question-and-answer session (= a period when people can ask questions) at the end of the talk.

  • Answer/Do as many questions as you can.

• 1 any matter that needs to be dealt with or considered:

  • This raises the question of teacher pay.

  • What are your views on the climate change question?

  • There's no question about (= it is certain) whose fault it is.

  • Whether children are reading fewer books is open to question (= there is some doubt about it).

  • Her loyalty is beyond question (= there is no doubt about it).

  • There's no question that he's guilty.

  • I stayed at home on the night in question.

• 2 to ask a person about something, especially officially:

  • Several men were questioned by police yesterday about the burglary.

  • 68 percent of those questioned in the poll thought noise levels had increased.

  • I questioned the wisdom of taking so many pills.

  • [ + question word ] Results from a study questioned whether treatment with the drug really improved survival.

  • She gave me a questioning look (= as if she wanted an answer from me).

• 3 a word or words used to find out information:

  • May I ask you a personal question?

  • Our help line will answer your questions about patient care.

• 4 a matter to be dealt with or discussed, or a problem to be solved:

  • [ C ] Your article raises the question of human rights.

  • [ C ] It’s simply a question of getting your priorities straight.

  • [ C ] The question is, are they telling the truth?

  • [ U ] I was at home on the night in question.

  • [ C ] Answer as many questions as you can.

• 5 doubt or uncertainty:

  • He’s competent – there’s no question about that.

  • Her loyalty is beyond question.

• 6 to use a word or words to find out information:

  • Mom’s always questioning me about my friends.

  • The police questioned several men about the burglary.

  • [ + question word ] The book questions whether people today are better off than their parents were.

• 7 a sentence or phrase that asks for information:

  • ask (sb) a question Can I ask a question, Gail?

  • answer a question Not one assistant correctly answered all the questions they were asked.

  • have a question Does anybody have any questions?

• 8 a subject or problem:

  • We return to the question of whether pay for performance really motivates employees.

  • One very difficult question is how to charge market prices for energy.

• 9 a feeling of doubt about something:

  • There is some question as to what is the best strategy.

  • The ethics of some of his business deals are open to question.

  • raise questions about sth His evidence raised questions about the credibility of a key eyewitness.

• 10 to express doubt about something:

  • If somebody calls something into question, then let's stop and review it.

  • The chief executive's popularity has sunk to levels that bring his legitimacy into question.

• 11 that is being discussed:

  • For shareholders of the company in question the idea of a takeover must be appealing.

  • The automaker's future remains in question.

• 12 if something is out of the question, it definitely will not or cannot happen:

  • A pay rise is out of the question.

• 13 to ask someone questions about something:

  • He does not know why authorities decided to question him.

  • question sb about/on sth Employers are not legally allowed to question job candidates about their plans to have children.

• 14 to express doubts about something:

  • Increasingly, the return on huge software investments made to improve efficiency was being questioned.