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searching - 5 dictionary results
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search⋅ing

  [sur-ching]
Use searching in a Sentence
–adjective
1. examining carefully or thoroughly: a searching inspection.
2. acutely observant or penetrating: a searching glance; a searching mind.
3. piercing or sharp: a searching wind.
Origin:
1570–80; search + -ing 2

Related forms:
search⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
search⋅ing⋅ness, noun

search

  [surch]
–verb (used with object)
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. to look into, question, or scrutinize: She searched her conscience.
7. (of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate: The sunlight searched the room's dark corners.
8. to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often fol. by out): to search out all the facts.
9. Military. to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.
10. Computers. to examine (one or more files, as databases or texts) electronically, to locate specified items.
–verb (used without object)
11. to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek; conduct an examination or investigation.
–noun
12. an act or instance of searching; careful examination or investigation.
13. 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.
—Idiom
14. search me, I don't know: Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.
Origin:
1300–50; (v.) ME serchen, cerchen (< AF sercher) < OF cerchier < LL circāre to go around, deriv. of L circus circle; (n.) ME serche < AF serche, OF cerche, deriv. of cerchier

Related forms:
search⋅a⋅ble, adjective
search⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, noun
searcher, noun

Synonyms:
1. investigate. 2. inspect. 12. inspection, scrutiny.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To searching
search   (sûrch)   
v.   searched, search·ing, search·es

v.   tr.
  1. To make a thorough examination of; look over carefully in order to find something; explore.
  2. To make a careful examination or investigation of; probe: search one's conscience for the right solution to the problem.
  3. Law To make a thorough check of (a legal document); scrutinize: search a title.
    1. To examine in order to find something lost or concealed.
    2. To examine the person or personal effects of in order to find something lost or concealed.
  5. To come to know; learn.
v.   intr.
To conduct a thorough investigation; seek: were searching for clues.
n.  
  1. An act of searching.
  2. Law The exercise of right of search.

[Middle English serchen, from Anglo-Norman sercher, variant of Old French cerchier, from Latin circāre, to go around, from Latin circus, circle, from Greek krikos, kirkos; see sker-2 in Indo-European roots.]
search'a·ble adj., search'er n.
search·ing   (sûr'chĭng)   
adj.  
  1. Examining closely or thoroughly; probing: a searching investigation of their past dealings.
  2. Keenly observant: searching insights.
search'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Searching

Search"ing\, a. Exploring thoroughly; scrutinizing; penetrating; trying; as, a searching discourse; a searching eye. "Piercing, searching, biting, cold." --Dickens. -- Search"ing*ly, adv. -- Search"ing*ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : searching
Spanish: penetrante,
German: forschend,
Japanese: 探るような
More Translations »
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