To follow up step by step by patient inquiry or observation; to trace or track mentally; to search into; to inquire and examine into with care and accuracy; to find out by careful inquisition; as, to investigate the causes of natural phenomena
(verb transitive) To observe or inquire into in detail; examine systematically (verb intransitive) To make a detailed inquiry or systematic examination
Check out the reputation of the agent as well as the insurance company If you buy a policy from an unlicensed agent, you are not protected Don't rely on someone's identification for verification Get their agent license number and call your state insurance commissioner's office to verify an agent's licensing status To locate your state insurance department, visit the NAIC web site at www naic org/consumer/state/usamap htm Do not give out any financial or personal information until you do so
conduct an inquiry or investigation of; "The district attorney's office investigated reports of possible irregularities"; "inquire into the disappearance of the rich old lady"
to find out by personal enquiry and experiment Many small tasks in Nuffield D&T are investigations
examine an incident or component, system or process process with a view to making recommendations to solve a problem or improve performance
If someone, especially an official, investigates an event, situation, or claim, they try to find out what happened or what is the truth. Gas officials are investigating the cause of an explosion which badly damaged a house in Hampshire Police are still investigating how the accident happened. + investigation investigations in·ves·ti·ga·tion He ordered an investigation into the affair