cross-question

cross-question

English

Etymology

    From cross- + question.

    Noun

    cross-question (plural cross-questions)

    1. A question posed during a cross-examination.

    Translations

    Verb

    cross-question (third-person singular simple present cross-questions, present participle cross-questioning, simple past and past participle cross-questioned)

    1. (transitive) To subject to close questioning.
      • 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. 1, Jocelin of Brakelond”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):
        The good man, he looks on us so clear and cheery, and in his neighbourly soft-smiling eyes we see so well our own shadow, - we have a longing always to cross-question him.
      • 2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 237b:
        the best way to get things clear is if we gently cross-question this very statement.

    Translations