Search

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Search, v. t. [OE. serchen, cerchen, OF. cerchier, F. chercher, L. circare to go about, fr. L. circum, circa, around. See Circle.].

•  To look over or through, for the purpose of finding something; to examine; to explore; as, to search the city.  John v. 39.  [1913 Webster]

  "They are come to search the house."  [1913 Webster]

  "Search me, O God, and know my heart."  [1913 Webster]
•  To inquire after; to look for; to seek.  [1913 Webster]

  "I will both search my sheep, and seek them out."  [1913 Webster]

  "Enough is left besides to search and know."  [1913 Webster]
•  To examine or explore by feeling with an instrument; to probe; as, to search a wound.  [1913 Webster]
•  To examine; to try; to put to the test.  [1913 Webster]

To search out, to seek till found; to find by seeking; as, to search out truth.

Syn. -- To explore; examine; scrutinize; seek; investigate; pry into; inquire.

Search, v. i. 

 To seek; to look for something; to make inquiry, exploration, or examination; to hunt.  [1913 Webster]
"Once more search with me."  [1913 Webster]
"It sufficeth that they have once with care sifted the matter, and searched into all the particulars."  [1913 Webster]

Search, n. [Cf. OF. cerche. See Search, v. t.].

 The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.  [1913 Webster]
"Thus the orb he roamed
With narrow search, and with inspection deep
Considered every creature."  [1913 Webster]
"Nor did my search of liberty begin
Till my black hairs were changed upon my chin."  [1913 Webster]

Right of search (Mar. Law), the right of the lawfully commissioned cruisers of belligerent nations to examine and search private merchant vessels on the high seas, for the enemy's property or for articles contraband of war. -- Search warrant (Law), a warrant legally issued, authorizing an examination or search of a house, or other place, for goods stolen, secreted, or concealed.

Syn. -- Scrutiny; examination; exploration; investigation; research; inquiry; quest; pursuit.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Search, v. & n.
--v.
1 tr. look through or go over thoroughly to find something.
2 tr. examine or feel over (a person) to find anything concealed.
3 tr. a probe or penetrate into. b examine or question (one's mind, conscience, etc.) thoroughly.
4 intr. (often foll. by for) make a search or investigation.
5 intr. (as searching adj.) (of an examination) thorough; leaving no loopholes.
6 tr. (foll. by out) look probingly for; seek out.
--n.
1 an act of searching.
2 an investigation.

Idiom

in search of trying to find. right of search a belligerent's right to stop a neutral vessel and search it for prohibited goods. search me! colloq. I do not know. search-party a group of people organized to look for a lost person or thing. search warrant an official authorization to enter and search a building.

Derivative

searchable adj. searcher n. searchingly adv.

Etymology

ME f. AF sercher, OF cerchier f. LL circare go round (as CIRCUS)

THESAURUS

Search

analysis, angle for, ask for, beat, beat about for, beat the bushes, burrow, cast about, chase, check, chivy, comb, delve, delve for, delve into, dig, dig for, dig into, dog, domiciliary visit, dragnet, enquiry, examination, examine, exploration, explore, fan, fathom, fish for, follow, follow up, forage, frisk, give chase, go after, go gunning for, go into, go through, grub, gun for, hollo after, hound, house-search, hunt, hunt for, hunt up, hunting, indagate, inquire of, inquiry, inspect, inspection, investigate, look, look around, look at, look for, look into, look over, look round, look through, look up, make after, nose around, peer into, perquisition, perusal, plumb, poke, poke around, poke into, posse, probe, prosecute, prowl after, pry, pry into, pursual, pursuance, pursue, pursuing, pursuit, quest, quest after, raise the hunt, rake, ransack, ransacking, research, researching, root, rummage, run after, run down, scan, scour, scouring, scout out, scrimmage, scrutinize, scrutiny, search for, search into, search party, search through, search warrant, search-and-destroy operation, searching, see to, seek, seek for, seek out, seeking, shake down, sift, sifting, skirmish, smell around, sound, stalk, stalking, still hunt, still-hunt, study, take out after, try to find, turning over

ROGET THESAURUS

Search

Inquiry

N inquiry, request, search, research, quest, pursuit, examination, review, scrutiny, investigation, indagation, perquisition, perscrutation, pervestigation, inquest, inquisition, exploration, exploitation, ventilation, sifting, calculation, analysis, dissection, resolution, induction, Baconian method, strict inquiry, close inquiry, searching inquiry, exhaustive inquiry, narrow search, strict search, study, scire facias, ad referendum, trial, questioning, interrogation, interrogatory, interpellation, challenge, examination, cross-examination, catechism, feeler, Socratic method, zetetic philosophy, leading question, discussion, reconnoitering, reconnaissance, prying, espionage, espionnage, domiciliary visit, peep behind the curtain, lantern of Diogenes, question, query, problem, desideratum, point to be solved, porism, subject of inquiry, field of inquiry, subject of controversy, point in dispute, matter in dispute, moot point, issue, question at issue, bone of contention, plain question, fair question, open question, enigma, knotty point, quodlibet, threshold of an inquiry, inquirer, investigator, inquisitor, inspector, querist, examiner, catechist, scrutator scrutineer scrutinizer, analyst, quidnunc, inquiry, inquisitive, requisitive, requisitory, catechetical, inquisitorial, analytic, in search of, in quest of, on the lookout for, interrogative, zetetic, all searching, undetermined, untried, undecided, in question, in dispute, in issue, in course of inquiry, under discussion, under consideration, under investigation, sub judice, moot, proposed, doubtful, quaere?, what?, why?, wherefore?, whence?, whither?, where?, how comes it?, how happens it?, how is it?, what is the reason?, what's the matter?, nicht wahr?, what's in the wind?, what on earth?, when?, who?.

VB make inquiry, inquire, ask, seek, search, look for, look about for, look out for, scan, reconnoiter, explore, sound, rummage, ransack, pry, peer, look round, look over, go over, look through, go through, spy, overhaul, ask about, inquire about, scratch the head, slap the forehead, look into every hole and corner, peer into every hole and corner, pry into every hole and corner, nose, trace up, search out, hunt down, hunt out, fish out, ferret out, unearth, leave no stone unturned, seek a clue, seek a clew, hunt, track, trail, mouse, dodge, trace, follow the trail, follow the scent, pursue, beat up one's quarters, fish for, feel for, investigate, take up an inquiry, institute an inquiry, pursue an inquiry, follow up an inquiry, conduct an inquiry, carry on an inquiry, carry out an inquiry, prosecute an inquiry, look at, look into, preexamine, discuss, canvass, agitate, examine, study, consider, calculate, dip into, dive into, delve into, go deep into, make sure of, probe, sound, fathom, probe to the bottom, probe to the quick, scrutinize, analyze, anatomize, dissect, parse, resolve, sift, winnow, view in all its phases, try in all its phases, thresh out, bring in question, bring into question, subject to examination, put to the proof, audit, tax, pass in review, take into consideration, take counsel, question, demand, put the question, pop the question, propose the question, propound the question, moot the question, start the question, raise the question, stir the question, suggest the question, put forth the question, ventilate the question, grapple with the question, go into a question, question, put to the question, interrogate, pump, subject to interrogation, subject to examination, cross-question, cross-examine, press for an answer, give the third degree, put to the inquisition, dodge, catechize, require an answer, pick the brains of, suck the brains of, feel the pulse, get the lay of the land, see how the wind is blowing, put one's ear to the ground, be in question, undergo examination.