late 14c., "judicial investigation, act or process of inquiring," from Old French inquisicion "inquiry, investigation" (12c.), from Latin inquisitionem (nominative inquisitio) "a searching into, legal examination," noun of action from past participle stem of inquirere (see inquire).
In Church history, inquisitors were appointed from 382 C.E. to root out heretics, and the Inquisition refers to the ecclesiastical court (Congregation of the Holy Office) appointed 13c. by Innocent III to suppress heresy. It never operated in Britain. The capital letter form appeared in English only after c. 1500, and usually refers to the office's reorganization 1478-1483 in Spain as what is commonly called the Spanish Inquisition.
实用例句
1. The Spanish Inquisition charged him with sinning against God and man.
西班牙宗教法庭指控他亵渎上帝和人类。
来自柯林斯例句
2. What is this? The Spanish Inquisition?
这是怎么回事？严刑逼供吗？
来自《权威词典》
3. The police subjected him to an inquisition that lasted two hours.
警察对他进行了持续两小时的盘问.
来自《简明英汉词典》
4. In the Middle Ages there was the Inquisition.
在中世纪里,发生过宗教迫害.
来自英汉文学
5. The Inquisition had tortured rich and poor alike.
