quest

in quest of (someone or something)

Hunting, seeking, or searching for someone or something. Want to come with me to the library? I'm in quest of an obscure textbook for my research paper. My parents came to this country in quest of a better future. Tommy been in quest of a new girlfriend ever since Patsy dumped him.

See also: of, quest

quest for (someone or something)

To hunt, seek, or search for something. We've been questing for locations to shoot our new film. The border is always filled with refugees questing for a better future.

See also: for, quest

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

in quest of someone or something

 and in search of someone or something

seeking or hunting something; trying to find something. They went into town in quest of a reasonably priced restaurant. Monday morning I'll go out in search of a job.

See also: of, quest

quest for someone or something

to seek after someone or something. Martin is off questing for a book on baroque organ building. She is questing for a better way to do it.

See also: for, quest

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

in search of

Also, in quest of. Looking for, seeking, as in They went to California in search of gold, or I went to the library in quest of a quiet place to read. The first term dates from the mid-1400s, the second from the second half of the 1500s.

See also: of, search

quest

see under in search of.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.