quest
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quest
(kwĕst)quest
(kwɛst)quest
(kwɛst)n.
Quest
a body of persons appointed to hold an enquiry; a collection or donation; a jury, 1549.Quest
go gathering orange blossoms To search for a wife. This expression is derived from the snow-white orange blossom, a popular wedding decoration that symbolizes the innocence of a young bride. The development of this phrase’s figurative sense is obvious. Its use by William E. Norris was cited by James M. Dixon in the latter’s Dictionary of Idiomatic English Phrases (1891):
“What has he come to this lovely retreat for? To gather orange blossoms?”
go in search of the golden fleece To pursue one’s destiny; to seek one’s fortune; to embark on an adventurous quest. This expression’s origin lies in the Greek myth of Jason and the Golden Fleece, in which Jason and a band of cohorts, called the Argonauts after their ship, set forth on a virtually hopeless quest to recover the golden fleece. Jason and his companions were victorious only after numerous perils. Figuratively, this expression is applied to a person who searches against great odds for great fortune.
pound the pavement To walk the streets seeking employment, to be out looking for a job, to go from door to door in search of work; also to pound or hit the sidewalks. The allusion is to feet walking back and forth “beating” the paved street. This American slang expression appeared in one of its variant forms in 0. Henry’s Options (1909):
I’m pounding the asphalt for another job.
set one’s cap for To try to gain the affections of someone to whom one is attracted; to set one’s romantic sights on; to flirt with; to make a play for. In the days when ladies always wore hats in public, a woman would don her most alluring bonnet in hopes of attracting that certain man of her dreams.
Instead of breaking my heart at his indifference, I’ll… set my cap to some newer fashion, and look out for some less difficult admirer. (Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, 1773)
wild-goose chase See FUTILITY .
quest
Past participle: quested
Gerund: questing
| Imperative |
|---|
| quest |
| quest |
| Present |
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| I quest |
| you quest |
| he/she/it quests |
| we quest |
| you quest |
| they quest |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I quested |
| you quested |
| he/she/it quested |
| we quested |
| you quested |
| they quested |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am questing |
| you are questing |
| he/she/it is questing |
| we are questing |
| you are questing |
| they are questing |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have quested |
| you have quested |
| he/she/it has quested |
| we have quested |
| you have quested |
| they have quested |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was questing |
| you were questing |
| he/she/it was questing |
| we were questing |
| you were questing |
| they were questing |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had quested |
| you had quested |
| he/she/it had quested |
| we had quested |
| you had quested |
| they had quested |
| Future |
|---|
| I will quest |
| you will quest |
| he/she/it will quest |
| we will quest |
| you will quest |
| they will quest |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have quested |
| you will have quested |
| he/she/it will have quested |
| we will have quested |
| you will have quested |
| they will have quested |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be questing |
| you will be questing |
| he/she/it will be questing |
| we will be questing |
| you will be questing |
| they will be questing |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been questing |
| you have been questing |
| he/she/it has been questing |
| we have been questing |
| you have been questing |
| they have been questing |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been questing |
| you will have been questing |
| he/she/it will have been questing |
| we will have been questing |
| you will have been questing |
| they will have been questing |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been questing |
| you had been questing |
| he/she/it had been questing |
| we had been questing |
| you had been questing |
| they had been questing |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would quest |
| you would quest |
| he/she/it would quest |
| we would quest |
| you would quest |
| they would quest |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have quested |
| you would have quested |
| he/she/it would have quested |
| we would have quested |
| you would have quested |
| they would have quested |