Verb
They haven’t found him yet, so they have to keep searching.
The police searched her for concealed weapons.
He was searched by the guard before he was allowed to enter the courtroom.
The software allows you to search thousands of sites at the same time.
She searched for information on the Web.
He searched her face, hoping to see some glimmer of emotion.
Noun
We will begin a search for a new manager this week.
I performed a search for the file.
I did a Web search for restaurants in that area.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Once approved, parents and guardians may search for participating service providers in the ACE Education Marketplace and submit claims for reimbursement using a dedicated app.
—
Cole Behrens, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2023
By December, police and the FBI were searching for 16-year-old Tylee and 7-year-old JJ.
—Allison Elyse Gualtieri, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2023
In a separate incident in Los Angeles, authorities were searching for a person who used a permanent marker to write anti-Islamic words on a mosque and an Islamic cultural center Sunday.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2023
Another once searched his pockets without any cause.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2023
The United States is searching for the source of the documents, which appear to detail classified information about Ukraine, Russia and other countries.
—Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023
While clever software has taken over some of the toil of legal work — searching, reviewing and mining mountains of legal documents for nuggets of useful information — employment in the legal profession has grown faster than the American work force as a whole.
—Steve Lohr, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
Auburn Hills police are searching for two juvenile females who were in handcuffs when a massive panic broke out at Great Lakes Crossing Outlets and had customers running for safety from what turned out to be a false threat.
—Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr. 2023
That afternoon, when the pair didn’t come back as expected, Thompson and Amelia searched for their family members before reporting them missing to authorities.
—Staff, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023
As rates hover just below 7%, many buyers are faced with uninviting options: continue their searches with smaller budgets, or wait until rates drop — without an idea of when that will be or if prices might rebound in the meantime.
—oregonlive, 13 Apr. 2023
Knowing this earlier would have entitled Dominion to broaden its search of relevant records related to Murdoch.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2023
Lori was accused of not cooperating with police in their search for Tylee and J.J.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2023
From there, your search for the best cheap shoes for men officially starts.
—Maverick Li, menshealth.com, 11 Apr. 2023
The neighboring geese are starting their annual search for nesting grounds.
—Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2023
One of the show’s through lines is her search for Thrawn.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2023
On his search for any money owed to Pastor Robert Jeffress’ church, Ed visited the Texas unclaimed property website – claimittexas.gov – and discovered the church was owed some money but not much.
—Dave Lieber, Dallas News, 8 Apr. 2023
Take some time to sort through everything and start your search for some new breathable underwear.
—Emilia Benton, womenshealthmag.com, 6 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘search.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
- Top Definitions
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- Idioms And Phrases
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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.
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.
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?
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.
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Idioms about search
search me, I don’t know: Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.
Origin of search
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English verb serchen, cerchen, from Anglo-French sercher or directly from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre “to go around,” derivative of Latin circus “circle”; noun derivative of the verb
OTHER WORDS FROM search
search·a·ble, adjectivesearch·a·ble·ness, nounsearcher, nounoutsearch, verb (used with object)
pre·search, noun, verb (used with object)un·der·search, nounun·searched, adjectivewell-searched, adjective
Words nearby search
SEAQ, seaquake, sear, sea ranger, sea raven, search, search dog, search engine, search engine optimization, searching, searchless
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
MORE ABOUT SEARCH
What is a basic definition of search?
Search means to look to find something that is missing or whose location has been forgotten or is unknown. It also means to carefully examine a person or thing to find something that is hidden. A more modern meaning of search is to enter a query on a search engine or website in order to find a specific page or piece of information. Search is also used as a noun to refer to the process of looking for something. Search has many other senses as both a verb and a noun.
Most generally, search means to look for something. It usually implies something more thorough than just looking.
Real-life examples: People search for buried treasure, missing children, and things that they have lost, among many other things. Sometimes, people are said to search for abstract things, such as meaning or happiness.
Used in a sentence: We searched everywhere in the house for my sister’s missing toy.
Search also means to look closely at or examine a person or thing to find something that may be concealed or hidden.
Real-life examples: Police and security guards search people to check for weapons or illegal items they may be hiding on themselves or in something they own. Collectors or appraisers will often search an item for damage or signs that something may be fake.
Used in a sentence: The art expert searched the statue to find the sculptor’s trademark signature that proved it was genuine.
Search is also commonly used in the context of searching the internet, a website, or an individual webpage.
Real-life examples: When you use a search engine, you enter a search term in order to view the search results to find what you’re looking for. This process is called a search.
Used in a sentence: I searched for the exact phrase, but there were no results, so I tried another search using only keywords.
As a noun, search also commonly refers to the process of trying to find something. An investigation is a kind of search for the truth.
Real-life examples: Police often conduct searches to find missing people or suspects. People participate in or start searches focused on finding many different things, such as romantic partners, colleges, missing wallets, or answers to questions.
Used in a sentence: I haven’t made much progress in my search for the perfect birthday present for my girlfriend.
Where does search come from?
The first records of the word search come from the early 1300s. It ultimately comes from the Late Latin verb circāre, meaning “to go around.” The noun sense comes from the verb.
Search shares an origin with the words circle and circus. The Latin circāre comes from the Latin word circus, meaning “ring” or “circle.”
Did you know … ?
How is search used in real life?
Search is a common word that’s used in the context of looking for something.
Some people are lucky enough to find love early in their life, some are cursed to search for it forever.
— Handoko Tjung (@handokotjung) November 20, 2020
My search for a birthday dress has been a fail thus far 😩
— Sambalina (@JaydynsDynasty) November 22, 2020
Been looking for a song for 1,5 years. I didn’t remember the title or any of the lyrics. All I had in my head is 1 second of the clip. I was searching through old songs so maybe it would show up in the suggested videos. Today it showed on the main page. Bless you YouTube gods!
— Grzegorz Komincz (@Liquid_MaNa) November 24, 2020
Try using search!
Is search used correctly in the following sentence?
After a long search, the man finally found his wedding ring, which he had dropped in the sand.
Words related to search
examination, exploration, hunt, inquiry, inspection, investigation, pursuit, quest, research, check, comb, examine, explore, go through, inspect, investigate, look, probe, ransack, scan
How to use search in a sentence
-
You’re in search of sweets for your sweethearts more than ever and you’re ready to try something new.
-
Best weighted blanket brands to knowThere are a few specifically great brands we think you should be familiar with when you start your weighted blanket search.
-
It plans on rolling it out globally at some point, which is expected to have a 7% impact in the search queries.
-
One of the great advantages of having search data mapped on a graph is that you can easily spot the highs and lows of how many times keywords were searched for.
-
In 2019, The Fact Checker noticed the spread of misleading video posed a challenge not only to fact-checkers but also to anyone relying on social media or Web searches to get information or find the latest news.
-
In my search for answers about who I was, I pored over religious texts in search of enlightenment.
-
After a hit, they would adjust the search to the most likely route from there.
-
The ATSB has been impressive in the way it has taken over the direction of the search for Flight 370.
-
Search teams find dozens of people and jet debris floating in the Java Sea, as the airline confirms the wreckage is from QZ8501.
-
We separate the search for justice from the search for truth at our peril.
-
Felipe was so full of impatience to continue his search, that he hardly listened to the Father’s words.
-
He will search out the hidden meanings of proverbs, and will be conversant in the secrets of parables.
-
But such refuge, he knew, could avail him nothing if the bear should scent him out and search for him.
-
His search has always hitherto been fruitless, and he has sunk back, disheartened, into the sea.
-
Joe,” said Mr. Wardle, after an unsuccessful search in all his pockets, “is my snuff-box on the sofa?
British Dictionary definitions for search
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) closelyto search one’s conscience
(tr foll by out) 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 search international 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
Derived forms of search
searchable, adjectivesearcher, noun
Word Origin for search
C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with search
In addition to the idiom beginning with search
- search me
also see:
- high and low, search
- in search of
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
|
WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023 search /sɜrtʃ/USA pronunciation v.
n. [countable]
Idioms
search•er, n. [countable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023 search
v.i.
n.
search′a•ble, adj.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: search /sɜːtʃ/ vb
n
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle ˈsearchable adj ˈsearcher n ‘search‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations): |
|
Other forms: searching; searched; searches
To search is to look for something. A search party is a group of people looking for something together. Their search may take a long time. If they’re in the army, they might be on a mission to search and destroy.
Search is one of the many words in English that have taken on a new meaning related to computers. To search the Web, or perform a search is to use a computer to find information on the Internet. The verb search is from Late Latin circare «to travel through,» from Latin circus «circle.» The original meanings of this verb in English were to dig for something, then, to overrun or occupy by force.
Definitions of search
-
verb
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
“The police are
searching for clues”“They are
searching for the missing man in the entire county”-
synonyms:
look for, seek
see moresee less-
types:
- show 23 types…
- hide 23 types…
-
drag, dredge
search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost
-
finger
search for on the computer
-
fumble, grope
feel about uncertainly or blindly
-
divine
search by divining, as if with a rod
-
browse, surf
look around casually and randomly, without seeking anything in particular
-
leave no stone unturned
search thoroughly and exhaustively
-
hunt
seek, search for
-
gather
look for (food) in nature
-
want
hunt or look for; want for a particular reason
-
scour
examine minutely
-
seek out
look for a specific person or thing
-
go after, pursue, quest after, quest for
go in search of or hunt for
-
angle, fish
seek indirectly
-
grub
search about busily
-
feel
grope or feel in search of something
-
browse, shop
shop around; not necessarily buying
-
grope for, scrabble
feel searchingly
-
dowse
use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal
-
shell
look for and collect shells by the seashore
-
comparison-shop
compare prices for a given item
-
antique
shop for antiques
-
window-shop
examine the shop windows; shop with the eyes only
-
browse
scan, look through, or look for information on the internet
-
“The police
searched the suspect”“We
searched the whole house for the missing keys”see moresee less-
types:
- show 9 types…
- hide 9 types…
-
raid
search for something needed or desired
-
frisk
search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets
-
strip-search
search (someone) for weapons or drugs by having the person remove their clothes
-
scan
make a wide, sweeping search of
-
go, rifle
go through in search of something; search through someone’s belongings in an unauthorized way
-
rummage
search haphazardly
-
comb, ransack
search thoroughly
-
delve
search for something in a receptacle or container
-
trawl
search or sift through in order to find something
-
type of:
-
examine, see
observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect
-
“He
searched for information on his relatives on the web”-
synonyms:
delve, explore, research
-
noun
the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
-
noun
boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas
-
noun
an investigation seeking answers
“a thorough
search of the ledgers revealed nothing”“the outcome justified the
search” -
noun
the examination of alternative hypotheses
“his
search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful” -
noun
an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property
-
synonyms:
lookup
see moresee less-
type of:
-
operation
(computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction)
-
operation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘search’.
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Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
search
(sûrch)
v. searched, search·ing, search·es
v. tr.
1. To move around in, go through, or look through in an effort to find something: searched the room for her missing earring; searched the desk for a pen.
2. To make a careful examination or investigation of; probe: search one’s conscience for the right thing to do.
3. To seek data matching a word, phrase, or pattern of characters in: searched the internet for information about ostriches.
4. Law To examine (a person or property) for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
v. intr.
1. To search a place or space in order to find something: searched all afternoon for my wallet.
2. To make a careful examination or investigation: searching for the right words to say.
3. To use a search engine or other software to find any data matching a particular pattern.
4. Law To make a search for evidence.
n.
1. An act of searching.
2. Law The examination of a person or property, as by a law enforcement officer, for the purpose of discovering evidence of a crime.
3. A control mechanism on an audio or video player that rapidly advances or reverses the playing of a recording.
Phrasal Verb:
search out
To seek to find or come to know by examination: sought out the answer in a history book.
Idiom:
search me Slang
Used by a speaker to indicate that he or she does not have an answer to a question just asked.
[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 the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
search′a·ble adj.
search′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
search
(sɜːtʃ)
vb
1. to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
2. (tr) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one’s hands over the clothing
3. to look at or examine (something) closely: to search one’s conscience.
4. (foll by: out) to discover by investigation
5. (Surgery) surgery
a. to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
b. to probe (a wound)
6. (Military) (tr) military to fire all over (an area)
7. (Computer Science) computing to review (a file) to locate specific information
8. archaic to penetrate
9. search me informal I don’t know
n
10. the act or an instance of searching
11. (Law) the examination of a vessel by the right of search
12. (Computer Science) computing
a. a review of a file to locate specific information
b. (as modifier): a search routine.
13. (Law) right of search international 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
[C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle]
ˈsearchable adj
ˈsearcher n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
search
(sɜrtʃ)
v.t.
1. to look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost.
2. to examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed.
3. to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.
4. to examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information: to search a property title.
5. to look into, question, or scrutinize: to search one’s conscience.
6. to pierce or penetrate.
7. to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often fol. by out): to search out all the facts.
8. to command software to find specified characters or codes in (an electronic file): to search a database for all instances of “U.S.” and replace them with “United States.”
v.i.
9. to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek.
10. to find specified characters or codes in an electronic file by means of software commands.
n.
11. an act or instance of searching; careful examination or investigation.
12. the wartime practice of boarding and searching any neutral vessel suspected of transporting contraband.
[1300–50; (v.) Middle English serchen, cerchen (< Anglo-French sercher) < Old French cerchier < Late Latin circāre to go around, derivative of Latin circus circle; (n.) Middle English serche < Anglo-French serche, Old French cerche, derivative of cerchier]
search′a•ble, adj.
search′a•ble•ness, n.
search′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
search
1. An operation to locate an enemy force known or believed to be at sea.
2. A systematic reconnaissance of a defined area, so that all parts of the area have passed within visibility.
3. To distribute gunfire over an area in depth by successive changes in gun elevation.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
search
Search can be a verb or a noun.
1. used as a verb
If you search a place or person, you examine them thoroughly because you are trying to find something.
Police searched the building and found weapons.
He stood with his arms outstretched while the guard searched him.
Be Careful!
Don’t say that you ‘search’ the thing you are trying to find. You can say that you search for it, but you usually say that you look for it.
He’s looking for his keys.
2. used as a noun
A search is an attempt to find something or someone by looking for them carefully.
I found the keys after a long search.
The search for survivors of the earthquake continues.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
search
Past participle: searched
Gerund: searching
| Imperative |
|---|
| search |
| search |
| Present |
|---|
| I search |
| you search |
| he/she/it searches |
| we search |
| you search |
| they search |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I searched |
| you searched |
| he/she/it searched |
| we searched |
| you searched |
| they searched |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am searching |
| you are searching |
| he/she/it is searching |
| we are searching |
| you are searching |
| they are searching |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have searched |
| you have searched |
| he/she/it has searched |
| we have searched |
| you have searched |
| they have searched |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was searching |
| you were searching |
| he/she/it was searching |
| we were searching |
| you were searching |
| they were searching |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had searched |
| you had searched |
| he/she/it had searched |
| we had searched |
| you had searched |
| they had searched |
| Future |
|---|
| I will search |
| you will search |
| he/she/it will search |
| we will search |
| you will search |
| they will search |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have searched |
| you will have searched |
| he/she/it will have searched |
| we will have searched |
| you will have searched |
| they will have searched |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be searching |
| you will be searching |
| he/she/it will be searching |
| we will be searching |
| you will be searching |
| they will be searching |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been searching |
| you have been searching |
| he/she/it has been searching |
| we have been searching |
| you have been searching |
| they have been searching |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been searching |
| you will have been searching |
| he/she/it will have been searching |
| we will have been searching |
| you will have been searching |
| they will have been searching |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been searching |
| you had been searching |
| he/she/it had been searching |
| we had been searching |
| you had been searching |
| they had been searching |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would search |
| you would search |
| he/she/it would search |
| we would search |
| you would search |
| they would search |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have searched |
| you would have searched |
| he/she/it would have searched |
| we would have searched |
| you would have searched |
| they would have searched |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  search — the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
hunting, hunt activity — any specific behavior; «they avoided all recreational activity» exploration — a careful systematic search foraging, forage — the act of searching for food and provisions frisk, frisking — the act of searching someone for concealed weapons or illegal drugs; «he gave the suspect a quick frisk» looking for, looking — the act of searching visually manhunt — an organized search (by police) for a person (charged with a crime) seeking, quest — the act of searching for something; «a quest for diamonds» ransacking, rummage — a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion); «he gave the attic a good rummage but couldn’t find his skis» scouring — moving over territory to search for something; «scouring the entire area revealed nothing» shakedown — a very thorough search of a person or a place; «a shakedown by the police uncovered the drugs» |
| 2. | search — an investigation seeking answers; «a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing»; «the outcome justified the search»
investigating, investigation — the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically |
|
| 3. | search — an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property; «they wrote a program to do a table lookup»
lookup operation — (computer science) data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction); «it can perform millions of operations per second» |
|
| 4. | search — the examination of alternative hypotheses; «his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful»
hunt — an instance of searching for something; «the hunt for submarines» pursuance, quest, pursuit — a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria; «the pursuit of love»; «life is more than the pursuance of fame»; «a quest for wealth» higher cognitive process — cognitive processes that presuppose the availability of knowledge and put it to use |
|
| 5. | search — boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas; «right of search»
examination, scrutiny — the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes) |
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| Verb | 1. | search — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; «The police are searching for clues»; «They are searching for the missing man in the entire county»
look for, seek dredge, drag — search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost finger — search for on the computer; «I fingered my boss and found that he is not logged on in the afternoons» fumble, grope — feel about uncertainly or blindly; «She groped for her glasses in the darkness of the bedroom» divine — search by divining, as if with a rod; «He claimed he could divine underground water» surf, browse — look around casually and randomly, without seeking anything in particular; «browse a computer directory»; «surf the internet or the world wide web» leave no stone unturned — search thoroughly and exhaustively; «The police left no stone unturned in looking for the President’s murderer» hunt — seek, search for; «She hunted for her reading glasses but was unable to locate them» gather — look for (food) in nature; «Our ancestors gathered nuts in the Fall» want — hunt or look for; want for a particular reason; «Your former neighbor is wanted by the FBI»; «Uncle Sam wants you» scour — examine minutely; «The police scoured the country for the fugitive» seek out — look for a specific person or thing quest after, quest for, go after, pursue — go in search of or hunt for; «pursue a hobby» fish, angle — seek indirectly; «fish for compliments» grub — search about busily feel — grope or feel in search of something; «He felt for his wallet» browse, shop — shop around; not necessarily buying; «I don’t need help, I’m just browsing» |
| 2. | search — search or seek; «We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest»; «Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!»
look hunt — search (an area) for prey; «The King used to hunt these forests» examine, see — observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; «The customs agent examined the baggage»; «I must see your passport before you can enter the country» cruise — look for a sexual partner in a public place; «The men were cruising the park» prospect — search for something desirable; «prospect a job» horn in, nose, poke, pry, intrude — search or inquire in a meddlesome way; «This guy is always nosing around the office» |
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| 3. | search — inquire into; «the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project»; «He searched for information on his relatives on the web»; «Scientists are exploring the nature of consciousness»
explore, research prospect — explore for useful or valuable things or substances, such as minerals google — search the internet (for information) using the Google search engine; «He googled the woman he had met at the party»; «My children are googling all day» mapquest — search for a location and directions by means of the MapQuest program; «you can just mapquest the restaurant» re-explore — explore anew; «We need to re-explore Colonialism» beat about, cast about, cast around — search anxiously investigate, look into — investigate scientifically; «Let’s investigate the syntax of Chinese» |
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| 4. | search — subject to a search; «The police searched the suspect»; «We searched the whole house for the missing keys»
raid — search for something needed or desired; «Our babysitter raided our refrigerator» frisk — search as for concealed weapons by running the hands rapidly over the clothing and through the pockets; «The police frisked everyone at the airport» strip-search — search (someone) for weapons or drugs by having the person remove their clothes; «He was strip-searched at the airport» scan — make a wide, sweeping search of; «The beams scanned the night sky» rifle, go — go through in search of something; search through someone’s belongings in an unauthorized way; «Who rifled through my desk drawers?» rummage — search haphazardly; «We rummaged through the drawers» comb, ransack — search thoroughly; «They combed the area for the missing child» examine, see — observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect; «The customs agent examined the baggage»; «I must see your passport before you can enter the country» |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
search
verb
1. examine, check, investigate, explore, probe, inspect, comb, inquire, sift, scour, ferret, pry, ransack, forage, scrutinize, turn upside down, rummage through, frisk (informal), cast around, rifle through, leave no stone unturned, turn inside out, fossick (Austral. & N.Z.), go over with a fine-tooth comb Armed troops searched the hospital yesterday.
2. inspect, check, examine, frisk, give someone the once over (informal) His first task was to search them for weapons.
noun
1. hunt, look, inquiry, investigation, examination, pursuit, quest, going-over (informal), inspection, exploration, scrutiny, rummage There was no chance of him being found alive and the search was abandoned.
search me! I don’t know, beats me, I’ve no idea, I haven’t got a clue, how should I know?, I haven’t got the faintest or foggiest idea He shrugged and chuckled: ‘Search me!’
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
search
verb
1. To try to find something:
2. To examine the person or personal effects of in order to find something lost or concealed:
noun
1. A thorough search of a place or persons:
2. An attempting to accomplish or attain:
The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
търся
hledatpátránípátrat
eftersøgningkropsvisitereledesøgeundersøge
serĉi
otsima
etsiäetsintähakeahaku
potragatragati
keresmegmotoz
leitleitaleita á
捜索捜索する探す
검색검색하다
ieškodamasieškotiiškratytikratos orderispaieškos grupė
izkratītmeklēšanameklētpārmeklēt
căutacăutarecercetare
pátraťvýskum
iskatiiskanje
sökasökningleta
การค้นหาค้นหา
lục soátsự tìm kiếmtìm
Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
search
[ˈsɜːrtʃ]
n
[drawer, pockets, room] → fouille f
vt
[+ room, drawer, house] → fouiller
to search sth for sb
They searched the woods for her → Ils ont fouillé les bois pour la trouver.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
search
n (= hunt: for lost object, missing person etc) → Suche f → (for nach); (= examination: of cupboard, luggage, suspect etc) → Durchsuchung f (→ of +gen); (esp Jur: of documents) → Nachforschungen pl (→ of über +acc); (Comput) → Suchlauf m, → Suchvorgang m; right of search → Durchsuchungsrecht nt; to go in search of somebody/something → auf die Suche nach jdm/etw gehen; to carry out a search of a house → eine Haus(durch)suchung machen; I found an interesting book in my search → bei meiner Suche or beim Suchen habe ich ein interessantes Buch gefunden; to do a search for something → nach etw suchen; they arranged a search for the missing child → sie veranlassten eine Suchaktion nach dem vermissten Kind; to do a search (and replace) for something (Comput) → etw suchen (und ersetzen)
vi (also Comput) → suchen (for nach)
search
:
search-and-destroy
adj (Mil) → Vernichtungs-; search mission → Vernichtungsmission f
search
:
search item
n (Comput) → Suchbegriff m
search mode
n (Comput) → Suchmodus m
search program
n (Comput) → Suchprogramm nt
search time
n (Comput) → Suchdauer f
search word
n (Comput) → Suchwort nt, → Suchbegriff m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
search
(səːtʃ) verb
1. (often with for) to look for something by careful examination. Have you searched through your pockets thoroughly?; I’ve been searching for that book for weeks.
2. (of the police etc) to examine, looking for eg stolen goods. He was taken to the police station, searched and questioned.
noun
an act of searching. His search did not take long.
ˈsearcher nounˈsearching adjective
trying to find out the truth by careful examination. He gave me a searching look.
ˈsearchingly adverbˈsearchlight noun
a strong light with a beam that can be turned in any direction, used eg to see enemy aeroplanes in the sky.
search party
a group of people looking for a missing person. When the climbers failed to return, a search party was sent out.
search warrant
a warrant giving legal permission to the police to search a house etc.
in search of
searching for. We went in search of a restaurant.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
search
→ بَحْث, يُفَتِّشُ pátrání, pátrat eftersøgning, søge Suche, suchen αναζήτηση, ψάχνω buscar, búsqueda etsiä, etsintä fouille, fouiller potraga, tragati cercare, ricerca 捜索, 捜索する 검색, 검색하다 zoeken, zoektocht ransake, ransaking poszukać, poszukiwanie busca, procurar искать, поиск söka, sökning การค้นหา, ค้นหา arama, aramak lục soát, sự tìm kiếm 搜索
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
search
n. búsqueda, investigación; registro;
v. buscar, registrar; investigar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012