acquest

English

Etymology

From Middle English aqueste (later conflating with enqueste), from Old French aquest, (French acquêt), from Vulgar Latin *acquaesitum, ultimately from Latin quaerere (“seek”). Doublet of acquis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈkwɛst/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

acquest (countable and uncountable, plural acquests)

1. (rare) Acquisition; the thing gained.
   • a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:

     the Palatinate , it is a maxim in state , that all countries of new acquest, till they be settled , are rather matters of burden than of strength

2. (law) Property acquired by purchase, gift, or otherwise than by inheritance.

Usage notes

Bouvier, 1856, from which the Webster derives, uses the spelling acquets.

References

• “acquest”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French acquest.

Noun

acquest m (plural acquests)

1. acquisition

Descendants

• French: acquêt