investigatein‧ves‧ti‧gate /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/ ●●● W2 AWL verb 
The state police are investigating the incident. The study investigates the impact of violent TV programming on children. I heard a noise and went downstairs to investigate.RegisterIn everyday English, people often say look into something rather than investigate something:· I’ll ask my colleague to look into it.2[transitive] to try to find out more about someone’s character, actions etc, because you think they may have been involved in a crime: Penney was already being investigated by the police on suspicion of murder.THESAURUSinvestigate to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: · Police are investigating an explosion in the city centre.· The aim of the study is to investigate how climate change is affecting animal behaviour.· There were fears he may have drowned in the lake, so divers were sent down to investigate.look into something to find out more about a problem, especially after someone has asked you to do this: · The manager promised to look into my complaint.· Please could you look into the matter for me?explore to consider or discuss something, in order to help you decide what you should do: · Military leaders are exploring new ways of defending the United States from terrorism.· I’m going to explore the possibility of a part-time job.probe [intransitive, transitive] to try to find secret or hidden information, especially by asking questions: · The press began probing into the actor’s private life.· We have been probing the reasons why the government has been so slow to react to the problem of climate change.delve [intransitive] to look somewhere in order to try to find more information about something, especially something that is difficult to find out about: · Over the past year Ms Deen has been delving into the national archives, in order to discover information on the early Muslim settlers.· I think we need to delve a little deeper.be under investigation if someone or their activities are under investigation, the police are trying to find out if they have done something illegal: · Several public figures are under investigation for corruption.
WORD ORIGINinvestigate
Origin:
1500-1600 Latin past participle of investigare ‘to follow the track of’, from vestigium ‘track’VERB TABLE
investigate
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | investigate |
| he, she, it | investigates | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | investigated |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have investigated |
| he, she, it | has investigated | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had investigated |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will investigate |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have investigated |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am investigating |
| he, she, it | is investigating | |
| you, we, they | are investigating | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was investigating |
| you, we, they | were investigating | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been investigating |
| he, she, it | has been investigating | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been investigating |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be investigating |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been investigating |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Hunt was investigated for more than a year before he was arrested.
- Police are investigating an explosion at the city store.
- The commission will investigate the cause of the accident, focusing especially on safety issues.
- The FBI has been called in to investigate the murder.
- We sent our reporter, Michael Gore, to investigate.
THESAURUS
to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: · Police are investigating an explosion in the city centre.· The aim of the study is to investigate how climate change is affecting animal behaviour.· There were fears he may have drowned in the lake, so divers were sent down to investigate.
to find out more about a problem, especially after someone has asked you to do this: · The manager promised to look into my complaint.· Please could you look into the matter for me?
to consider or discuss something, in order to help you decide what you should do: · Military leaders are exploring new ways of defending the United States from terrorism.· I’m going to explore the possibility of a part-time job.
[intransitive, transitive] to try to find secret or hidden information, especially by asking questions: · The press began probing into the actor’s private life.· We have been probing the reasons why the government has been so slow to react to the problem of climate change.
[intransitive] to look somewhere in order to try to find more information about something, especially something that is difficult to find out about: · Over the past year Ms Deen has been delving into the national archives, in order to discover information on the early Muslim settlers.· I think we need to delve a little deeper.
if someone or their activities are under investigation, the police are trying to find out if they have done something illegal: · Several public figures are under investigation for corruption.
Longman Language Activatorto try and find out about an accident, crime etc to try to find out the truth about a crime, an accident, or a problem, especially by using careful and thorough methods: · Police are investigating an explosion at the city store.· We sent our reporter, Michael Gore, to investigate.· The commission will investigate the cause of the accident, focusing especially on safety issues.
especially British to ask people questions about a person, crime, accident etc in order to find out information about it: · A reporter who tried to make inquiries was arrested.make inquiries/enquiries into/about: · Police are making inquiries into the theft of a quantity of explosives.· He had made a few inquiries and learnt that she inherited the money from her father.
to try to find out the facts of a situation in order to explain why it happened: · "How did Blake manage to escape?" "That's something that we will have to go into."· The headteacher promised the parents that he would be going into the matter of bullying very thoroughly.
to carefully and thoroughly try to find out all the facts about a situation, especially when someone wants to keep these a secret: · The Secretary of State is probing claims of election fraud.probe for: · Reporters began probing for more information.probe into: · The press have been criticised for probing too deeply into the actor's private life.
if someone in an official position looks into a problem or bad situation, they try to find out more about it so that the situation can be improved: · The manager promised to look into my complaint.· Police are looking into the possibility that the bomb warning was a hoax.· Callahan hired me to look into the accident.
if someone solves a crime or a mystery, they get all the information they need so that they can explain exactly what happened: · Detectives are trying to solve the murder of a young girl.· Officials hope the Navy will solve the mystery of four bombs that are missing from the wreckage of a military jet.
if a person, organization etc is under investigation, the police are trying to find out if they are involved in a crime or illegal activity: · A health club is currently under investigation by Boston detectives.· Several of the company's executives are under investigation.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES A committee will investigate allegations of racial discrimination.
A committee will investigate allegations of racial discrimination.· Police are still investigating the cause of the fire.
· Detectives are investigating claims that the two officials took bribes.
· An investigative commission was set up immediately after the incident.
· The dog was rescued after officials investigated a complaint of neglect.
(=try to find out the truth about something)· The police said they were investigating the matter.
· The police are investigating the murder of a homeless man.
(=try to find out where, when etc something began to exist)· researchers investigating the origin of AIDS
· Sussex Police are investigating a break-in at the club.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· A consultative committee could also investigate the quality of the buses.· Ishmael, consequently, also investigates the antithetical approach, the method of pure subjective perception.· In addition we have also investigated the involvement of platelet activating factor in the endothelin induced fibrinolytic activation.· Many inspectors also investigate construction or alterations being done without proper permits.· The relationship of these metals with other elements in the colloidal fraction is also investigated.· The Army is also investigating scores of charges at other Army posts.· The study also investigates the use of novel research methodology, including the use of identical twins, and new instrumentation.· The association between gastric histopathology and Helicobacter pylori was also investigated.
· It further investigates the impact of these changes on management culture and employee relations in a number of privatized companies.· Mortality appears to be higher, though officials are reluctant to put a number to it until they investigate further.· This in turn compelled me to further investigate the fascinating world of rocky shores.· After tying it to the mizzen-mast, he did not investigate further.· Before she could investigate further, her own dim worm fired a warning shot.· To investigate further the link between planning and language a computer model will be implemented.· If the pain gets any worse, see your doctor in case it needs to be investigated further.· It is time to investigate further.
· A government commission is now investigating how these billions were made.· Center president Robert Freedman said he and his staff are investigating how to do that.· Film evidence can be extremely useful in investigating how the media both influence and reflect contemporary events and opinion.· Always investigate how a company spells its name, either by calling or by looking at its stationery.· Now they're investigating how the rave was organised.· Prison officials are investigating how he managed to escape from the maximum-security facility.· It will investigate how such children do attempt to communicate, and the problems that this creates for parents.· It is up to you to investigate how the drugs you are taking may be affecting your sleep.
· AltaVista thoroughly investigated finding another supplier to provide a free Internet access service.· Most importantly he needs to make sure past abuses and present intimidation manoeuvres are thoroughly investigated, and those responsible punished.· After thoroughly investigating their backgrounds and their political beliefs, he had approached them one by one.· It is understood that the police thoroughly investigated the shooting at Tully-West within the limitations imposed on them.· At the time, the story was not investigated thoroughly and Craxi and Martelli were able to brush it aside.· ALCOHOL/DRUGS/SUICIDE Claims involving alcoholism, drugs and suicide must be investigated thoroughly.
NOUN· It also calls for more funding and civilian staff to aid in monitoring and investigating abuses.· The drumbeat for an appointment of an independent counsel to investigate alleged abuses in campaign financing will almost certainly escalate.
· Squad has been investigating her activities in Northern Ireland.· As well as investigating the activities of individual authorities, it publishes papers which compare practice and offer suggestions for improvement.· I often travelled abroad with him as his driver when he investigated the activities of our revolutionary emigres.
· The Federation are investigating the Daum drugs affair.· After investigating Rizvi's affairs, police claimed they had uncovered evidence that underworld money had financed his mercurial film career.· Also in May the police were called in to investigate the affairs of the club.· He rewrote his original report for Viktor Rakovsky, incorporating the results of investigating the affair.
· To investigate allegations of offences against trading standards legislation.· Milosevic promised the students he would investigate their allegations and punish any officials found responsible for electoral fraud.· On July 4, 1990, the Lightman report investigating the allegations was published.· The agency monitors police activities and investigates allegations of cop misconduct.· The regional attorney general's office is investigating corruption allegations against the university's former rector that involve millions of dollars.· Its chairman and company secretary are being questioned by police investigating allegations of fraud.· They're investigating allegations of interference with witnesses and tampering with evidence in a forthcoming trial.· Earlier, he had complained that he lacked the resources to investigate all the allegations of corruption against government officials.
· For science, students drew maps of the nearby river, studied its ecosystem, and investigated animals in the area.· Alex, however, subscribes to the standard conspiracy theory that the authorities undermine anyone investigating these sensitive areas.· We decided to investigate this area with a purely elderly group of patients.· The firm's main work was producing components for aircraft but my job was to investigate new product areas for the company.· The two say they will also investigate areas of co-operation on future-generation storage products.
· But her family have now lodged a formal complaint with the Police Complaints Authority which is to investigate.· The bureau can obtain authority for wiretaps to investigate gun and explosives violations but not threats against its own agents.· The increase in multiple myeloma was reported by the health authority and is being investigated. 3.· That same year, authorities investigated five attacks on sea lions in San Diego Bay.· Many more have been beaten by police, but there have been few attempts by the authorities to investigate.· The officials were being held under house arrest while authorities investigate.· But the National Rivers Authority, which has investigated the site, says there's nothing to fear.· Alex, however, subscribes to the standard conspiracy theory that the authorities undermine anyone investigating these sensitive areas.
· The Stock Exchange is investigating both cases.· The agency declined to release the results of its own tests of the product and said it is still investigating the case.· It is up to Jim and Bess Hunt to investigate the case.· A University committee charged to investigate the case of the young lecturer determined that there had been no administrative malpractice.· Police are still investigating the case, the bank official said.· Detectives investigating the case went to the Pryse-Jones' former home in Haverhill.· West Yorkshire police confirmed they would be investigating the case.
· In investigating the causes of absenteeism from work, for example, researchers have found different contributory factors.· Firemen were still investigating the cause yesterday of the fire at Mossa Grange Farm in Yafforth.· We therefore investigated the causes of this complication.· Almost certainly under Westminster pressure, O'Neill announced the Cameron Commission to investigate the causes of the disturbances.· Mrs Aquino, we are investigating the cause of death of Inday Rodriguez.· Police believe the body may have been in the field for several weeks and they're still investigating the cause of death.· Surrey police are investigating the cause.· It held up tram traffic for several hours, while the police investigated the cause.
· Last year the council called in the police to investigate claims that council-owned building materials had been allegedly misappropriated for private use.· The state is still investigating the Trelows' claims.· Insurance companies started hiring him to find stolen goods and investigate false claims.· Arsenal Football Club are investigating Mr Levi's claims.· Dozens of scientific studies investigated the claims.· Read in studio A hospital is investigating a woman's claim that a botched operation led to her suffering months of pain.· He says the World Bank could not have investigated his claims thoroughly in only six weeks and is covering up.
· A government commission is now investigating how these billions were made.· Prime Minister Shimon Peres has since apologized and assembled a special commission to investigate the blood issue.· Lord Young felt less able to help increase foreign shareholding limits since the commission was investigating Rolls Royce's foreign shareholding arrangements.· The Securities and Exchange Commission also is investigating the situation, Sunrise said.· The government met in emergency session on May 22 and agreed to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the assassination.· The National Human Rights Commission said it is investigating the murder.· The University of Geneva appointed an international commission to investigate their work, which met in August 1983.· Suppose you sat on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and were investigating this monopolist.
· A consultative committee could also investigate the quality of the buses.· The Joint Committee investigating the scandal cleared my name.· Alice was for ever serving on community and social committees that investigated, planned, organized and gave functions.· A University committee charged to investigate the case of the young lecturer determined that there had been no administrative malpractice.· In 1640, parliament, with the agreement of Charles I, appointed a committee to investigate complaints against clergy.· The committee Jim formed to investigate the relationship recommended that he drop the idea.
· This will provide an opportunity for investigating the complaints and remedying any flaws before the trial.· McGehee advocates the creation of an independent Office of Ethics Counsel to interpret the rules, investigate complaints and recommend sanctions.· How do social workers go about investigating these complaints, and what leads them towards deciding that a child has been abused?· The Wage and Hour Division investigates complaints.· Trading standards officers investigated the couple after complaints from a computer engineer who bought their products at a sale in Lyneham.· Do you genuinely and sincerely investigate customer complaints and try to eradicate the causes?· Also new is the provision for a Conveyancing Ombudsman to investigate complaints against lenders doing conveyancing.· In 1640, parliament, with the agreement of Charles I, appointed a committee to investigate complaints against clergy.
· The drumbeat for an appointment of an independent counsel to investigate alleged abuses in campaign financing will almost certainly escalate.· The statute gives the independent counsel the opportunity to investigate anything that is perceived to be criminal.· It could renew calls for Attorney General Janet Reno to appoint an independent counsel to investigate alleged campaign wrongdoing.· Some Democrats on Capitol Hill have joined in the call for an independent counsel to investigate campaign fund raising.
· Police investigating the crimes are themselves primary targets.· Although the fiscal does not collect information or investigate the crime he is entitled to intervene and direct himself police investigations.· To a lesser extent, his duties include patrolling and investigating crime in the unincorporated areas of a mostly urban county.· Sam Bass, who specializes in investigating crimes against people with mental disabilities.· It is now up to those charged with the duty of investigating alleged crimes to do so.· Joe Gentile of the Metropolitan Police Department said that police investigate diplomatic crime fully, and they do issue citations to diplomats.
· Read in studio A senior police officer has been criticised for the way he investigated the death of a student.· Officials were investigating whether two other deaths were related.· You didn't mention that kind of thing to a detective investigating the death of a fellow club-member's wife.· Laura has investigated his death thoroughly, looking at the coroners report and police statements.· Mrs Aquino, we are investigating the cause of death of Inday Rodriguez.· Police believe the body may have been in the field for several weeks and they're still investigating the cause of death.· Police say they are still investigating Jason's death, but the McGowans lack any confidence in them.· Read in studio Police investigating the death of a man in a house fire have now ruled out murder.
· Will my right hon. Friend consider extending the inquiry of Leicestershire social services department to investigate departments throughout the country?· Two Republican leaders asked the Justice Department to investigate the incident.· The council's Conservation Officer interested his colleagues in the Architect's Department in investigating possible residential use of the building.· The Justice Department likewise is investigating.· They are now considering legal action and the Department of Health is investigating their case.· She decided this month not to seek the outside inquiry and instead formed a Justice Department task force to investigate the allegations.· Fife Symington vetoed a bill that would have given the Insurance Department the power to investigate and fine managed-care plans.
· You didn't mention that kind of thing to a detective investigating the death of a fellow club-member's wife.· Now, detectives are investigating the possibility that a fourth woman may have been slain by the retired Army sergeant.· Almost a hundred people telephoned offering help to detectives investigating the stabbing of Richard Miles.· Homicide detectives are investigating the case.· Two other people, a man and a woman, have already been arrested by detectives investigating the case.· But detectives investigating her death believe she invented the story just to get the gun to take her own life.
· Police said they were investigating the incident as a petrol bombing.· Cooper and Santos emphasized that their job was not to investigate specific incidents but to listen and offer suggestions.· Steps were immediately taken to recover the diplomatic mail and to investigate the incident.· Police are investigating the incident at Allistragh on the Moy Road.· Police are now investigating the incident.· Mr Jones suggested that Physic News magazine should be approached with a view to investigating the incidents and perhaps providing a satisfactory answer.
· He chooses to investigate the big issues.· Prime Minister Shimon Peres has since apologized and assembled a special commission to investigate the blood issue.· At Level One students will work as individuals or in small groups to select and investigate a Contemporary Issue.· When historians and anthropologists first began to investigate the issue of pre-patriarchal cultures they made two assumptions.· He set up an improvement team to investigate the whole issue of stores requisitions.· This study, which extends previous work by the research team, investigates these issues in two stages.· We shall investigate some of these issues in the course of this book, particularly in Chapters 6 and 7.· Alternatively, pupils could be encouraged to investigate a fundamental issue of belief underlying the Catholic response to the above key questions.
· We shall continue to ask lime to investigate this matter.· I have known Mycroft to investigate suchlike matters, but only on behalf of the government.· A Crown lawyer said the offences came to light when the youngsters were interviewed by police investigating other matters.· Cheap politics is no way to investigate the matter.· She said the Justice Department is investigating the matter itself.· I should be grateful if you would investigate this as a matter of importance and urgency and let me know your findings.· In the meantime he would investigate the matter so he could report his findings to appropriate officials back home.
· David Blakey led a team focusing on the ability to investigate murder, and Dan Crompton reviewed the attitude to race issues.· Now, Doctor Illingworth, I am never too busy to investigate a murder.· Police investigating the murder of a pensioner have begun interviewing shoppers in an attempt to catch his killer.· The National Human Rights Commission said it is investigating the murder.· I've been investigating a series of murders in London.· Officers investigating the murder say they've had more than a hundred calls from the public offering information.· They've got the manpower and the facilities to investigate murder, Jett.· Gilliane Queripel, 33, was arrested on Thursday by officers investigating the murder of Stacey Queripel.
· In one of the worst nights on record, officers were called to investigate 20 separate thefts from cars.· When things go wrong, the officers usually do the investigating and the enlisted men usually take the blame.· A team of 18 Met officers is investigating every police interaction with the Lindos over eight years.· Trading standards officers investigated the couple after complaints from a computer engineer who bought their products at a sale in Lyneham.· More sinister are the deaths in suspicious circumstances of two army officers who were investigating the rhino horn trade.· Mr Howell says he is asking the chief education officer to investigate the matter urgently.· The force confirmed allegations against police officers were also being investigated after a newspaper claimed four officers were being quizzed.· Gilliane Queripel, 33, was arrested on Thursday by officers investigating the murder of Stacey Queripel.
· Genomecenter officials investigated, and found that Hughes was using government resources to perform genetic studies on test-tube embryos.· Prison officials are investigating how he managed to escape from the maximum-security facility.
· But the police were still investigating, and Brown told Hicks not to leave town.· A police spokesman said Sunday night that no charges have been placed and that police were still investigating.· The official was fired on July 18. Police are still investigating the case, the bank official said.· Police probe mill blaze POLICE are investigating the cause of a fire which badly damaged a large mill last night.· Burnt out: Police are investigating a car found burnt out near Ripon.
· This project investigates the possibilities for economic development which were open to this group.· Now, detectives are investigating the possibility that a fourth woman may have been slain by the retired Army sergeant.· We must now investigate all possibilities for assisting women in need.· Police are now investigating the possibility Spiro even slaughtered his family while high on drugs.· These questions are then taken by each of the site groups and used to investigate new possibilities.· Accidents still occur, and indeed, are furthered by those investigating new possibilities.· This research aims to investigate the possibility of obtaining information for decision-makers that is more sensitive to people's health needs.
· This project therefore investigates the problems associated with integrated approaches to environmental design.· The second audience is equally important as a justification for investigating the problem.· Northumberland County Council has vowed to investigate the problem, which is blamed on the county's peripheral position in the country.· The research will investigate the problems people have in using experimental machines in building societies.· Please would you investigate this problem and let me know what action you take to resolve it.· Why don't they investigate our problems?· Many of the methods developed in that study will be used to investigate the more specific problem of investment decisions making.· This study investigates the frequent problems which arise when school age children become ill.
· This project therefore investigates the problems associated with integrated approaches to environmental design.· A three year programme of four linked projects will investigate small services sector firms in five types of local economy in Britain.· This project aims to investigate the impact the new legislation has had.· This research project will investigate the emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness, specifically the contribution made by developments in accountable management.· This ESRC-sponsored project was designed to investigate these claims.· This project will investigate all 74 cases together with a series of long term detention case under the 1964 Act.
· Rafael Cesario, a state prosecutor who investigated the bicheiros for a decade, linked them to 40 murders.· Federal prosecutors are investigating whether Castle Grande was part of a conspiracy to defraud Madison.· The couple appealed to provincial prosecutors to investigate.· They are the primary target of a special prosecutor investigating a long-ago Whitewater business deal that went sour.· Before the pardon was granted, federal prosecutors began investigating new allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.
· It is proposed to investigate these relationships in historical context applying comparative and quantitative methods.· The committee Jim formed to investigate the relationship recommended that he drop the idea.· Desmond Morris and Sarah Kennedy tour Britain investigating our relationships with animals, wild and domestic.· To provide a research base for investigating the relationship between various levels of nutritional status and health consequences.· This study was designed to investigate further the relationship between inflammation and fluid transport in the small intestine of the rat.· The first is a comparative study of wool textile organisations, investigating the relationship between career development, innovation and company performance.· Before concluding the development of this framework, we should investigate the relationship between the constraints.· There are different ways to control for a third factor when investigating a relationship between two variables.
· The research investigates the consequences of some specific relaxations of these assumptions that are of practical relevance to economic time series analysis.· The research investigates the reasons why companies have introduced Quality Circles and evaluates their benefits and shortcomings.· This research investigates folk conceptions of logical ability and contrasts these with the positions adopted by psychologists, anthropologists, and others.· This study, which extends previous work by the research team, investigates these issues in two stages.· This research aims to investigate the possibility of obtaining information for decision-makers that is more sensitive to people's health needs.· The research will investigate the problems people have in using experimental machines in building societies.· It is the purpose of this research to investigate how changing the feedback provided by the computer affects the complex learning process.
· Four prospective randomised trials have investigated the role of polymeric formulas in Crohn's disease.· We investigated a role for testing for human papillomavirus as part of cervical-cancer screening.· We undertook a pilot study to investigate the role of domestic flies in the transmission of trachoma and diarrhoea.
· Shultz and his associates carried out a series of studies to investigate children's understanding of intentions.· Dozens of scientific studies investigated the claims.· Describe how you would conduct a study to investigate the well-being of such ex-patients.· The first study to investigate the feasibility of permitting parents into the premature nursery began at Stanford University, in California.· The study also investigates the use of novel research methodology, including the use of identical twins, and new instrumentation.· Therefore, this study investigated carnitine concentrations in serum of patients with coeliac disease.· Most studies have investigated senile dementia in relatively small populations.
· They contacted Newcastle University's archaeology department which sent a team down to investigate.· He set up an improvement team to investigate the whole issue of stores requisitions.· This study, which extends previous work by the research team, investigates these issues in two stages.· The team is currently investigating the feasibility of installing direct dial facilities.· The United Nations sent a team to investigate.· The provincial government did not send a team to investigate until August 1.· In these cases the team would investigate within 24 hours.
· The study also investigates the use of novel research methodology, including the use of identical twins, and new instrumentation.· The buy was set up by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, whose agents were investigating possible drug use at the academy.· It will investigate the use of local radio as a source of business related information by employers.· The council's Conservation Officer interested his colleagues in the Architect's Department in investigating possible residential use of the building.· Byrd has also investigated the use of the overlap process to map between dictionaries, matching word sense definitions.
VERB· It is this particular level of grouping that this research aims to investigate.· This research aims to investigate, in detail, activity in a small number of committees which vary in operation and intentions.· The research aims to investigate some of the social psychological factors that have helped to maintain the present conflict.· This project aims to investigate the impact the new legislation has had.· This research aims to investigate the possibility of obtaining information for decision-makers that is more sensitive to people's health needs.· The research aims to investigate the contribution to pupils' understanding and tolerance made by language teaching.· This research aims to investigate the factors that underlie the current restructuring of that sector.
· When they began to investigate the tiny houses, they found other bodies: men, women, children ....· Scientists have begun to investigate and to identify some of the possible causes, which may differ from species to species.· Several other groups, including some psychiatrists, began to investigate the drug chlorpromazine about the same time.· I circled around a group of men who were watching the screen and began investigating the length of the room.· The authorities of New College have also begun investigating the extent of the drugs problem there.· As I was working with Harold, we began to investigate what being a physician meant to him.· Before the pardon was granted, federal prosecutors began investigating new allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.· In the 1970s zoologists began to investigate these patterns to try to find out what determined a species' mating system.
· Then, when all was deathly quiet again, he decided to investigate.· Cameron decided to investigate to find out what her legal rights might be in this situation.· He decided to investigate, to see if he could gain entry, and crossed the clearing towards the front door.· We decided to investigate this area with a purely elderly group of patients.· The terrace, I decided, I would investigate later.· Quickly putting on some clothes, he decided to investigate.
WORD FAMILYnouninvestigationinvestigatoryadjectiveinvestigativeinvestigatoryverbinvestigate
1[intransitive, transitive] to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: The state police are investigating the incident. The study investigates the impact of violent TV programming on children. I heard a noise and went downstairs to investigate.RegisterIn everyday English, people often say look into something rather than investigate something:· I’ll ask my colleague to look into it.2[transitive] to try to find out more about someone’s character, actions etc, because you think they may have been involved in a crime: Penney was already being investigated by the police on suspicion of murder.THESAURUSinvestigate to try to find out the truth about something such as a crime, accident, or scientific problem: · Police are investigating an explosion in the city centre.· The aim of the study is to investigate how climate change is affecting animal behaviour.· There were fears he may have drowned in the lake, so divers were sent down to investigate.look into something to find out more about a problem, especially after someone has asked you to do this: · The manager promised to look into my complaint.· Please could you look into the matter for me?explore to consider or discuss something, in order to help you decide what you should do: · Military leaders are exploring new ways of defending the United States from terrorism.· I’m going to explore the possibility of a part-time job.probe [intransitive, transitive] to try to find secret or hidden information, especially by asking questions: · The press began probing into the actor’s private life.· We have been probing the reasons why the government has been so slow to react to the problem of climate change.delve [intransitive] to look somewhere in order to try to find more information about something, especially something that is difficult to find out about: · Over the past year Ms Deen has been delving into the national archives, in order to discover information on the early Muslim settlers.· I think we need to delve a little deeper.be under investigation if someone or their activities are under investigation, the police are trying to find out if they have done something illegal: · Several public figures are under investigation for corruption.