examination

[ Fr.examination, from Lat. examinatio, from exam in at us, pa. par. of examino =to weigh carefully, to examine (q. v.); Sp.exam i nacion; Ital. esaminazione.] 1. The act or proce of examining, searching or inquiring into; a careful search or inquiry into for the purpose of ascertaining the true nature or condition of anything; especially applied to (1) The act or proce of endeavoring to ascertain the truth of any matter by the interrogation of wit ne es. I might have somewhat to write."- Acts xxv. 26. "I have brought him forth, that after examination had, (2) The proce of testing the capabilities or qualifications of a candidate for any post, or the 2. Figuratively : (1) The act of elevating or raising in power, dignity, rank, or position. "She put off the garments of widowhood, for the exal tation of those that were oppre ed." -Judith xiv. 8. (2) The state of being elevated or exalted in power, dignity, rank, or position; an exalted state or position. "You are as much esteemed, and as much beloved, per haps more dreaded, than ever you were in your highest exaltation ."- Swift . †(3) A state of mind in which the thoughts and aspirations are raised and refined; mental refine n.ent. IMG:content-1209.png:[blocks in formation] as, an examination for the Civil Service; a periodical examination of a cla or school, . 2. The state of being examined, or of undergoing an examination. 3. Trial or a ay, as of minerals, chemical compounds, . Crabb thus discriminates between examination, inquiry , research , search , investigation , and scru tiny : " Examination is the most general of these terms, which all agree in expre ing an active effort to find out that which is unknown. The exam in a tion is made either by the aid of the senses or the understanding, the body or the mind; the search is principally a physical action; the inquiry is mostly intellectual; we examine a face or we examine a subject; we search a house or a dictionary; we in quire into a matter To examine a person, is Exam in a either by means of questions to get at his mind, or by means of looks to become acquainted with his person; to search a person is by corporeal contact to learn what he has about him. tions and inquiries are both made by means of ques tions; but the former is an official act for a specific end, the latter is a private act for purposes of convenience or pleasure. Students undergo exam in a tions from their teachers; they pursue their inqui ries for themselves. A research is a remote inquiry : an investigation is a minute inquiry ; a scrutiny is a strict examination ." ( Crabb : Eng . Synon.) *ex-am-I-nā-tör, s. [Lat.] An examiner, an inquirer. "Yet it is, methinks, an inference somewhat Rabbini cal, and not of power to persuade a serious examinator ." -Browne: Vulgar Errors, bk. vi., ch. vi.