writ of inquiry

noun

A writ issued in certain actions at law, where the defendant has suffered judgment to pass against him by default, in order to ascertain and assess the plaintiff's damages, where they cannot readily be ascertained by mere calculation.

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Meanings

nounwrit of inquiry (plural writs of inquiry)

plural writs of inquiry

  1. USlawA writ issued in certain actions at law, where the defendant has suffered judgment to pass against him by default, in order to ascertain and assess the plaintiff's damages, where they cannot readily be ascertained by mere calculation.

    Jeremy speaks like an Oracle. Don't you see how worthless great Men, and dull rich Rogues, avoid a witty Man of small Fortune? Why, he looks like a Writ of Enquiry into their Titles and Estates; and seems Commission'd by Heav'n to seize the better half.

    1695, [William] Congreve, Love for Love: A Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number)
Cite this entry
APA

writ of inquiry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writ%20of%20inquiry

MLA

“writ of inquiry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writ%20of%20inquiry. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “writ of inquiry,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/writ%20of%20inquiry.

Source: writ of inquiry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.