1. A special commission of the Senate appointed to hear criminal cases involving the public interest, sometimes with the power to try all cases of a given class arising within a specified period. — Also termed quaestio extraordinaire.
2. QUAESTIO PERPETUA.
3. An interrogation by inflicting torture.
4. The torture so inflicted. Pl. quaestiones (kews-chee-oh-neez or kwees-).