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search
[ surch ]
verb (used with object)
- to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost:
They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.
Synonyms: investigate
- to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed:
He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.
Synonyms: inspect
- to explore or examine in order to discover:
They searched the hills for gold.
- to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information:
to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.
- to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc.:
He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.
- to look into, question, or scrutinize:
She searched her conscience.
- (of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate:
The sunlight searched the room's dark corners.
- to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often followed by out ):
to search out all the facts.
- Military. to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.
- Digital Technology. to electronically retrieve data, web pages, database records, or other information from (files, databases, etc.) by typing relevant terms into a search engine or other search tool:
Most of us have searched the internet for medical advice.
verb (used without object)
- to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek; conduct an examination or investigation.
noun
- the act of searching; careful examination or investigation:
Her date with the guy she met online went badly, so her search for “Mr. Right” continues.
- an instance of this:
Did the search turn up any clues?
Synonyms: scrutiny, inspection
- the practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband:
the right of visit and search.
- Digital Technology. the act or process of electronically retrieving data, web pages, database records, or other information from files, databases, etc., as in Boolean search keyword search
A search of the article turned up two references to my company.
search
/ sɜːtʃ /
verb
- to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
- tr to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one's hands over the clothing
- to look at or examine (something) closely
to search one's conscience
- trfoll byout to discover by investigation
- surgery
- to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
- to probe (a wound)
- tr military to fire all over (an area)
- computing to review (a file) to locate specific information
- archaic.to penetrate
- search me informal.I don't know
noun
- the act or an instance of searching
- the examination of a vessel by the right of search
- computing
- a review of a file to locate specific information
- ( as modifier )
a search routine
- right of searchinternational law the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure
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Derived Forms
- ˈsearchable, adjective
- ˈsearcher, noun
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Other Words From
- searcha·ble adjective
- searcha·ble·ness noun
- searcher noun
- outsearch verb (used with object)
- pre·search noun verb (used with object)
- under·search noun
- un·searched adjective
- well-searched adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of search1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of search1
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Idioms and Phrases
- search me, I don't know:
Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.
More idioms and phrases containing search
In addition to the idiom beginning with search , also see high and low, search ; in search of .Advertisement
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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