Questions and answers

question (ASKING) Show phonetics
noun [C]
1 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.

And Earl Ferrers said that if it proved too difficult to come up with a British-wide motto, the House of Lords could perhaps use its own: “Questions and answers ought to be short.”


2 in an exam, a problem that tests a person's knowledge or ability:
Answer/Do as many questions as you can in the allotted time.

question Show phonetics
verb [T]
1 to ask a person about something, especially officially:
Several men were questioned by police yesterday about the burglary.
68% of those questioned in the poll thought noise levels had increased.

2 to express doubts about the value of something or whether something is true:
I questioned the wisdom of taking so many pills.
[+ question word] Two months ago, results from a European study questioned whether early treatment with the drug really improved survival.
She gave me a questioning look (= as if she wanted an answer from me).

questionable Show phonetics
adjective [+ question word]
not certain, or wrong in some way:
It is questionable whether this goal can be achieved.
Much of late-night television is of questionable value/taste.

questioner Show phonetics
noun [C]
a person who asks a question

questioning Show phonetics
noun [U]
when the police ask someone questions about a crime:
Three suspects were taken in for questioning at Hereford police station.