• IPA: /kwɛst/, enPR: kwĕst

quest (plural quests)

1. A journey or effort in pursuit of a goal (often lengthy, ambitious, or fervent); a mission.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:

     Cease your quest of love.

2. The act of seeking, or looking after anything; attempt to find or obtain; search; pursuit.

   to rove in quest of game, of a lost child, of property, etc.

3. (obsolete) Request; desire; solicitation.

   • Gad not abroad at every quest and call / Of an untrained hope or passion.

4. (obsolete) A group of people making search or inquiry.
   • c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene ii]:

     The senate hath sent about three several quests to search you out.

5. (obsolete) Inquest; jury of inquest.
   • 1609, Wiiliam Shakespeare, "Sonnet 46"

     To 'cide this title is impannelèd

     A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart, 10

     And by their verdict is determined

     The clear eye's moiety and the dear heart's part […] }

• French: quête
• German: Suche, Queste
• Italian: ricerca
• Portuguese: busca
• Russian: по́иск
• Spanish: búsqueda, esfuerzo

quest (quests, present participle questing; past and past participle quested)

1. To seek or pursue a goal; to undertake a mission or job.
2. To search for; to examine.
3. (entomology, of a tick) To locate and attach to a host animal.

quest (plural quests)

1. Abbreviation of quantized electronic structure#English|quantized electronic structure.