1. A method of processing a query in a distributed database implemented across a plurality of nodes, comprising: receiving a query; dividing the query into split characterization queries; distributing the split characterization queries to a plurality of worker nodes, wherein each worker node stores a partition of the distributed database as a database with encoded textual objects and pre-defined indices characterizing encoded textual object fragments; and executing the split characterization queries at the plurality of worker nodes to obtain preliminary information about query results, wherein executing the split characterization queries includes matching query fragments associated with the split characterization queries with encoded textual object fragments to produce fragment matches representative of the size of the query results, wherein for each split characterization query the preliminary information about query results includes a fragment count, a database partition identification, and a database host name.