questing

plural questings

1. The act of going in quest of something.

   By this move, Devereux gave new importance to fieldwork as a method of social enquiry. Psychoanalysis taught him that anxiety was not something to be avoided but is the driving force which propels our intellectual questings.

   2002, Ariane Deluz, Suzette Heald, Anthropology and Psychoanalysis: An Encounter Through Culture

   1 more example

   [A] puiſſant olyphant being brought to the place, the grehound ſeming to reioice at the greatnes of the beaſt, rouſed him, and after two or three queſtynges, he lept to the great Olyphante, and after a longe fight ouerthrew hym and kylled hym. So I doubt not but that ſome men […] whiche beeyng ones called to aucthoritee, ioygned with libertee, will inforce theim ſelfes to make theyr miniſtracions noble and excellent.

   1541, Thomas Elyote [i.e., Thomas Elyot], “The Preface. To All the Nobilitee of this Flourishyng Realme of England, Thomas Elyote Knight Desyreth Increase of Vertue and Honour.”, in [Aelius Lampridius], translated by Thomas Elyote, The Image of Gouernaunce Complied of the Actes and Sentences Notable, of the Most Noble Emperour Alexander Seuerus, […], [London]: […] Thomas Berthelett, published 1549, →OCLC

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of quest