n. [ L., the tongue of a balance, examination; for exagmen, fr. exigere to weigh accurately, to treat: cf. F. examen. See Exact, a. ] Examination; inquiry. [ R. ] “A critical examen of the two pieces.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ NL. See Hexameter. ] An hexameter. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being examined or inquired into. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. examinans, -antis, examining. ] 1. One who examines; an examiner. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is to be examined. [ Obs. ] H. Prideaux. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. examinatus, p. p. of examinare. See Examine. ] A person subjected to examination. [ Obs. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. examinatio: cf. F. examination. ] 1. The act of examining, or state of being examined; a careful search, investigation, or inquiry; scrutiny by study or experiment. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A process prescribed or assigned for testing qualification; as, the examination of a student, or of a candidate for admission to the bar or the ministry. [ 1913 Webster ]

He neglected the studies, . . . stood low at the examinations. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Examination in chief, or
Direct examination (Law), that examination which is made of a witness by a party calling him. --
Cross-examination, that made by the opposite party. --
Reëxamination, or
Re-direct examination, (Law) that questioning of a witness at trial made by the party calling the witness, after, and upon matters arising out of, the cross-examination; also called informally re-direct.

Syn. -- Search; inquiry; investigation; research; scrutiny; inquisition; inspection; exploration. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L.: cf. F. examinateur. ] An examiner. [ R. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Examined p. pr. & vb. n. Examining. ] [ L. examinare, examinatum, fr. examen, examinis: cf. F. examiner. See Examen. ] 1. To test by any appropriate method; to inspect carefully with a view to discover the real character or state of; to subject to inquiry or inspection of particulars for the purpose of obtaining a fuller insight into the subject of examination, as a material substance, a fact, a reason, a cause, the truth of a statement; to inquire or search into; to explore; as, to examine a mineral; to examine a ship to know whether she is seaworthy; to examine a proposition, theory, or question. [ 1913 Webster ]

Examine well your own thoughts. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Examine their counsels and their cares. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To interrogate as in a judicial proceeding; to try or test by question; as, to examine a witness in order to elicit testimony, a student to test his qualifications, a bankrupt touching the state of his property, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The offenders that are to be examined. Shak.

Syn. -- To discuss; debate; scrutinize; search into; investigate; explore. See Discuss. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person examined. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who examines, tries, or inspects; one who interrogates; an officer or person charged with the duty of making an examination; as, an examiner of students for a degree; an examiner in chancery, in the patent office, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]