The laborious and vexatious inquest that the soul
must make after science. --South.
2. (Law)
(a) Judicial inquiry; official examination, esp. before a
jury; as, a coroner's inquest in case of a sudden
death.
(b) A body of men assembled under authority of law to
inquire into any matterm civil or criminal,
particularly any case of violent or sudden death; a
jury, particularly a coroner's jury. The grand jury is
sometimes called the grand inquest. See under {Grand}.
(c) The finding of the jury upon such inquiry.
{Coroner's inquest}, an inquest held by a coroner to
determine the cause of any violent, sudden, or mysterious
death. See {Coroner}.
{Inquest of office}, an inquiry made, by authority or
direction of proper officer, into matters affecting the
rights and interests of the crown or of the state.
--Craig. Bouvier.