search
/səːtʃ
/verb [no object]
1Try to find something by looking or otherwise seeking carefully and thoroughly: I searched among the rocks, but there was nothing Daniel is then able to search out the most advantageous mortgage Hugh will be searching for the truth...
- His lax brown eyes scanned the conveyor belt carefully, searching for a black duffel bag.
- We walked among the shops, searching for anyone who was looking for an apprentice.
- He mounted once more and began to trot among the trees, searching for the source of the noise.
Synonyms
hunt, look, explore, forage, fish about/around, look high and low, cast about/around/round, ferret (about/around), root about/around, rummage about/around;
seek, scout out, pursue
1.1 [with object] Examine (a place, vehicle, or person) thoroughly in order to find something or someone: she searched the house from top to bottom the guards searched him for weapons...
- Setting off the alarm at the security check, I was searched much more thoroughly than I'd ever been before.
- The driver was searched by security guards but they did not check inside the lorry, said the newspaper.
- Even I do not pay any attention to the armed guards searching me before I enter any public place.
Synonyms
look around/round, explore, probe, hunt through, look through, scrabble about/around in, root about/around in, ferret (about/around) in, rummage about/around in, rummage in/through, forage through, fish about/around in, poke around in, dig in, grub about/around in, delve in, go through, sift through, rifle through, scour, comb, ransack, turn over, go through with a fine-tooth comb;
turn upside down, turn inside out, leave no stone unturned in
British informal rootle around in
Australian/New Zealand informal fossick through
New Zealand informal poozle
rare roust around in
examine, inspect, check, frisk
informal give someone a/the once-over
1.2 [with object] Look for information in (a database or the World Wide Web) using a search engine: search our online archive for stories dating back to February 1996 I must search the Internet for one of his pictures [no object]: you can search for recipes by topic or by entering a keyword...
- I walked to Ken's office and sat at his computer and started searching the databases.
- So Joe was able to search the database for information about himself as well as his ancestor.
- By searching the database a user can find out if a match exists for the buyer or seller who they are dealing with.
noun
1An act of searching for someone or something: the police carried out a thorough search of the premises he plans to go to the Himalayas in search of a yeti...
- In search of answers, they bolted and ran to alternative practitioners.
- In search of opportunities to fulfil his dreams, he goes away from his caring brother.
- Systematic literature searches were conducted to assess the evidence for and against the effectiveness of kava extract for treating anxiety.
Synonyms
hunt, look, exploration, scout, probe, dig, digging, forage, foraging, scavenge, scavenging, ferreting (about/around), rummage, rummaging about/around, rooting about/around, rifling, scouring, quest, pursuit of, seeking after
searching for, hunting for, after, seeking, looking for, on the lookout for, in quest of, in pursuit of, on the track of, questing after, chasing after
1.1An act or instance of searching a database or the World Wide Web: I did a search for creative-writing courses at UK universities and came up with 422...
- We found qualitative studies that focused directly on double standards through our computerized database searches.
- They often asked questions that were too vague or did not lend themselves to keyword searches on the computer databases.
- A computerized search through all relevant databases was also conducted using several combinations of keywords.
1.2 Computing The systematic retrieval of information, or the facility for this: the advanced search includes options for sorting by date and specifying the news source [as modifier]: users will abandon a site if the search function doesn’t work well
1.3 Law An investigation of public records to find if a property is subject to any liabilities or encumbrances.After a two-month search of public records in Britain, all leads ran dry....
- She maintains that she did not discover the transfer until 1998 when her lawyer conducted a title search on the property.
- Instruct your solicitor to inspect local and national searches and the title deeds for any onerous covenants, restrictions, etc.
Phrases
search me!
Derivatives
searcher
/ noun ...- These questions guide searchers to the most effective information sources.
- That's very important to us and for the protection of our searchers.
- So far, searchers have found no clues in the latest search.
Origin
Middle English: from Old French cerchier (verb), from late Latin circare 'go round', from Latin circus 'circle'.
This is from the Old French verb cerchier from late Latin circare ‘go round’, from Latin circus ‘circle’. The main semantic strands are ‘explore thoroughly’ (search the premises) and ‘try to find’ (search out the truth), both of which have been present from the start. In research (late 16th century) the prefix re- is an intensifier of the meaning. The Old English equivalent seek is unconnected, going back to an Indo-European root shared by Latin sagire ‘perceive by scent’.