to ask someone a lot of questions► question to ask someone a lot of questions, in order to get information or find out what they think: · We all wondered where Sylvia got the money, but no one dared question her.question somebody about something: · Liz was very well informed and questioned me about the political situation in Africa.question somebody closely (=carefully, asking a lot of difficult questions): · The interviewer questioned Miss Jarvis closely about her computer experience.
► fire/shoot questions at to ask someone a lot of questions very quickly in order to confuse them or make them admit to something: · The lawyer fired questions at me so quickly I didn't have time to think.· The teacher kept shooting questions at the frightened girls until they confessed everything.
► grill also give somebody a grilling British to ask someone a lot of difficult questions in order to make them explain their actions, plans, or opinions: · I stood in the hall and listened as the interviewers grilled the next candidate.· Hilda's teacher gave her a real grilling about why she'd missed so many classes.grill somebody about/on something: · Maxine started grilling me on why I'd been spending so much time alone.
► give somebody the third degree informal to ask someone a lot of difficult questions in order to make them explain their actions, plans, or opinions: · I was just out with friends - you don't have to give me the third degree.· Whenever one of my boyfriends came to the house, Dad would give them the third degree.
► pump somebody for to ask someone a lot of questions about a particular subject or event in order to get as much information as possible: pump somebody for information/details: · Viktor sat with Vassily and me and pumped me for information about hockey teams.· He wants to pump Jody for the details of some job her company is advertising.
► quiz to ask someone a lot of questions, especially because you want to find out what they have been doing, and often in a way that annoys them: · When Stan eventually came home from the party, his wife quizzed him for hours.quiz somebody about/on something: · My parents never stop quizzing me about where I go at night.· Reporters quizzed the President on tax policy and Central America.
► pick somebody's brains to ask someone for information about something because you think they know more about it than you: · You know all about tax law - can I pick your brains for a minute?· The workshop is designed so that new managers can pick the brains of managers with more experience.