Definition

1. Noun:
   • A severe, harsh, or prolonged questioning or investigation, often one that disregards individual rights or privacy. This usage emphasizes an aggressive, intimidating, or oppressive process of inquiry.
   • (Historical, often capitalized: the Inquisition) A former tribunal or system of tribunals established by the Roman Catholic Church, primarily from the 13th to the 19th centuries, to identify, suppress, and punish heresy.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (General, severe interrogation):

  • The journalist faced an inquisition from the committee, which felt more like an attack than a search for truth.
  • His simple mistake led to a lengthy inquisition by his boss, making him feel humiliated.

• Noun (Historical/Religious tribunal):

  • The Spanish Inquisition is one of the most famous and feared chapters in the history of religious persecution.
  • Galileo Galilei was brought before the Roman Inquisition for supporting the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "to hold an inquisition into something": To conduct a very thorough and often harsh investigation.
  • The board held an inquisition into the company's financial practices.
• Used figuratively to describe any situation involving intense, unwelcome scrutiny.
  • Coming home late felt like walking into an inquisition, with my parents demanding every detail.

Variants and Related Words

• Inquisitor (n): A person conducting an inquisition, especially an officer of the Inquisition. Figuratively, anyone who questions others in a severe or relentless manner.
  • The prosecutor was a relentless inquisitor during the cross-examination.
• Inquisitorial (adj): Relating to or characteristic of an inquisition or inquisitor; involving offensively close questioning.
  • The interview had an inquisitorial tone that made the candidate very uncomfortable.

Synonyms

• Interrogation: The act of questioning, especially formally and systematically.
• Grilling (informal): Intensive questioning.
• Witch-hunt: A campaign directed against a person or group holding unorthodox or unpopular views (often carries a stronger connotation of persecution than ).
• Inquiry/Enquiry: A more neutral term for an official investigation.

Idioms and Phrases

• Like the Spanish Inquisition: Used humorously or critically to describe an unexpectedly intense barrage of questions.
  • I just asked what was for dinner—I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!

Noun

1. a severe interrogation (often violating the rights or privacy of individuals)
2. a former tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church (1232-1820) created to discover and suppress heresy