Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense searches, present participle searching, past tense, past participle searched
1. verb
If you searchfor something or someone, you look carefully for them.
The Turkish security forces have started searching for the missing men. [VERB + for]
They searched for a spot where they could sit on the floor. [VERBfor noun]
Nonetheless there are signs that both sides may be searching for a compromise. [VERB + for]
[Also VERB]
2. verb
If you search a place, you look carefully for something or someone there.
Armed troops searched the hospital yesterday. [VERB noun]
She searched her desk for the necessary information. [VERB noun + for]
Relief workers are still searching through collapsed buildings looking for victims. [VERB preposition]
Synonyms: examine, check, investigate, explore More Synonyms of search
3. countable noun
A search is an attempt to find something or someone by looking for them carefully.
There was no chance of him being found alive and the search was abandoned.
Egypt has said there is no time to lose in the search for a Middle East settlement. [+ for]
Synonyms: hunt, look, inquiry, investigation More Synonyms of search
4. verb
If a police officer or someone else in authority searches you, they look carefully to see whether you have something hidden on you.
The man took her suitcase from her and then searched her. [VERB noun]
His first task was to search them for weapons. [VERB noun + for]
Synonyms: inspect, check, examine, frisk [informal] More Synonyms of search
5. verb
If you searchfor information on a computer, you give the computer an instruction to find that information.
[computing]
You can use a directory service to search for people on the internet. [VERB + for]
Search is also a noun.
He was doing a computer search of local news articles. [+ of]
6. See also searching, strip-search
7.
See in search of
8.
See search me
Phrasal verbs:
See search out
search in British English
(sɜːtʃ)
verb
1.
to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
2. (transitive)
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. (transitive; foll byout)
to discover by investigation
5. surgery
a.
to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
b.
to probe (a wound)
6. (transitive) military
to fire all over (an area)
7. computing
to review (a file) to locate specific information
8. archaic
to penetrate
9. search me
noun
10.
the act or an instance of searching
11.
the examination of a vessel by the right of search
12. computing
a.
a review of a file to locate specific information
b.
(as modifier)
a search routine
13. right of search
Derived forms
searchable (ˈsearchable)
adjective
searcher (ˈsearcher)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circuscircle
search in American English
(sɜrtʃ)
verb transitive
1.
to go over or look through for the purpose of finding something; explore; rummage; examine
to search a house for a lost article
2.
to examine (a person) for something concealed, as by running one's hands over theclothing, through the pockets, etc.
3.
to examine closely and carefully; test and try; probe
to search one's conscience
4.
to look through (writings, records, etc.) to establish certain facts
5.
to find out or uncover by investigation
usually with out
verb intransitive
6.
to try to find something; make a search
7.
to examine data in a computer in order to locate items having a given property
noun
8.
an act of searching; scrutiny, inquiry, or examination in an attempt to find something, gain knowledge, establish facts, etc.
9.
the act of a belligerent in stopping and searching a neutral ship for contraband
see also right of search
Idioms:
in search of
search me!
Derived forms
searchable (ˈsearchable)
adjective
searcher (ˈsearcher)
noun
Word origin
ME searchen < OFr cercher < LL circare, to go round, go about, explore < circus, a ring: see circus
More idioms containing
search
search high and low for something
Examples of 'search' in a sentence
search
It also has a search engine of its own.
Christianity Today (2000)
The family had since searched for information about him without any answers.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They have already searched his known haunts.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They searched the house and found the set.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It was the fourth time police had searched the home.
The Sun (2012)
But the vans were carefully searched before he could leave.
Hebblethwaite, Peter Paul VI - The First Modern Pope (1993)
This has also involved me searching my files for letters they have written to me.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Divers could be seen throughout the day searching the sunken vessel for more survivors.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They were still searching and hoping for an ideal world back then.
The Sun (2012)
Personal search histories are already exciting law enforcement.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The masks were reportedly found as cops searched the rented house after the raid.
The Sun (2015)
When war ended she began to search for something more meaningful to which she could turn her hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Most of the big search engines had enough cash to fund their operations for a good while longer.
John Cassidy DOT.CON (2001)
To make your website profitable you need to ensure people know about it and can find it via search engines.
The Sun (2012)
Should a bulb within the home blow, the man will search his man drawer.
The Sun (2008)
The most searching examination of a cricketer's skills deserves the biggest rewards.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Last night both police and the MoD confirmed the search took place.
The Sun (2012)
Men with both legs intact blame their partners for the daily irritation they experience, searching their sock drawer.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
search
British English: search /sɜːtʃ/ NOUN
A search is an attempt to find something by looking for it carefully.
After an hour-long search, she finally found her ring.
American English: search
Arabic: بَحْث
Brazilian Portuguese: busca
Chinese: 搜索
Croatian: potraga
Czech: pátrání
Danish: eftersøgning
Dutch: zoektocht
European Spanish: búsqueda
Finnish: etsintä
French: fouille
German: Suche
Greek: αναζήτηση
Italian: ricerca
Japanese: 捜索
Korean: 검색
Norwegian: ransaking
Polish: poszukiwanie
European Portuguese: busca
Romanian: căutare
Russian: поиск
Latin American Spanish: búsqueda
Swedish: sökning
Thai: การค้นหา
Turkish: arama
Ukrainian: пошук
Vietnamese: sự tìm kiếm
British English: search /sɜːtʃ/ VERB
If you search for something or someone, you look carefully for them. If you search a place, you look carefully for something there.
The police have started searching for the missing men.
Airline staff searched the bag at the airport.
American English: search
Arabic: يُفَتِّشُ
Brazilian Portuguese: procurar
Chinese: 搜索
Croatian: tragati
Czech: pátrat
Danish: søge
Dutch: zoeken
European Spanish: buscar registrar
Finnish: etsiä
French: fouiller
German: suchen
Greek: ψάχνω
Italian: cercare
Japanese: 捜索する
Korean: 검색하다
Norwegian: ransake
Polish: poszukać
European Portuguese: procurar
Romanian: a căuta
Russian: искать
Latin American Spanish: buscar
Swedish: söka
Thai: ค้นหา
Turkish: aramak
Ukrainian: шукати
Vietnamese: lục soát
All related terms of 'search'
search me
You say ' search me ' when someone asks you a question and you want to emphasize that you do not know the answer .
body search
If a person is body searched , someone such as a police officer searches them while they remain clothed. Compare → strip-search .
job search
a search for employment
search dog
a dog trained to assist rescue workers in finding people buried under rubble by detection by smell
search out
If you search something out , you keep looking for it until you find it.
search tool
You can refer to anything that you use for a particular purpose as a particular type of tool .
global search
a word-processing operation in which a complete computer file or set of files is searched for every occurrence of a particular word or other sequence of characters
search engine
A search engine is a computer program that searches for documents containing a particular word or words on the internet.
search order
an injunction allowing a person to enter the premises of another to search for and take copies of evidence required for a court case, used esp in cases of infringement of copyright
search party
A search party is an organized group of people who are searching for someone who is missing.
strip-search
If a person is strip-searched , someone such as a police officer makes them take off all their clothes and searches them, usually to see if they are carrying drugs or weapons . Compare → body search .
in search of
If you go in search of something or someone, you try to find them.
search warrant
A search warrant is a special document that gives the police permission to search a house or other building.
fingertip search
When the police carry out a fingertip search of a place, they examine it for evidence in a very detailed way .
search an area
An area is a particular part of a town, a country, a region, or the world.
right of search
the right of a belligerent to stop and search neutral merchant ships on the high seas in wartime
search an address
Your address is the number of the house, flat, or apartment and the name of the street and the town where you live or work.
search-and-destroy
designed to find and destroy by bombing etc
search and rescue
the activity of looking for and rescuing people who are lost or in danger
Anton Piller order
an injunction allowing a person to enter the premises of another to search for and take copies of evidence required for a court case, used esp in cases of infringement of copyright
search engine optimization
the process of adjusting the content , structure, etc, of a website so that it will be displayed prominently by a search engine
search high and low for something
to look for something very carefully and thoroughly, looking in every possible place that it could be
SEO
search engine optimization
Chinese translation of 'search'
search
(səːtʃ)
n(c)
(for missing person) 搜(蒐)寻(尋) (sōuxún) (次, cì)
[of place]搜查 (sōuchá)
(Comput) 检(檢)索 (jiǎnsuǒ) (次, cì)
vt
[place, person]搜查 (sōuchá)
vi
to search (for sb/sth)寻(尋)找(某人/某物) (xúnzhǎo (mǒurén/mǒuwù))
a search for[object, person]寻(尋)找 (xúnzhǎo) [solution, settlement]寻(尋)求 (xúnqiú)
in search of寻(尋)求 (xúnqiú)
to search sb/sth for sth为(為)找某物搜查某人/某物 (wèi zhǎo mǒuwù sōuchá mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to search one's mind for sth绞(絞)尽(盡)脑(腦)汁想某事 (jiǎojìn nǎozhī xiǎng mǒushì)
All related terms of 'search'
search engine
搜索引擎 sōusuǒ yǐnqíng
search party
搜索队(隊) sōusuǒduì
search through
彻(徹)底搜寻(尋) chèdǐ sōuxún
strip-search
光身搜查 guāngshēn sōuchá
a search for
( object, person ) 寻(尋)找 xúnzhǎo
in search of
寻(尋)求 xúnqiú
to search sb/sth for sth
为(為)找某物搜查某人/某物 wèi zhǎo mǒuwù sōuchá mǒurén/mǒuwù
to search one's mind for sth
绞(絞)尽(盡)脑(腦)汁想某事 jiǎojìn nǎozhī xiǎng mǒushì
warrant
( for arrest ) 逮捕令 dàibǔlìng [ 张(張) zhāng ]
to search or look high and low for sth
到处(處)寻(尋)找某物 dàochù xúnzhǎo mǒuwù
to search (for sb/sth)
寻(尋)找(某人/某物) xúnzhǎo (mǒurén/mǒuwù)
to send out a search party (for sb)
派搜索队(隊)(寻(尋)找某人) pài sōusuǒduì (xúnzhǎo mǒurén)
1 (verb)
Definition
to look through (a place) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
Armed troops searched the hospital yesterday.
Synonyms
examine
check
investigate
Gas officials are investigating the cause of the explosion.
explore
The film explores the relationship between artist and instrument.
probe
The more they probed into his background, the more suspicious they became.
inspect
comb
Officers combed the woods for the murder weapon.
inquire
sift
He has sifted the evidence and summarized it clearly.
scour
We scoured the telephone directory for clues.
ferret
She ferreted among some papers.
pry
ransack
Why should they be allowed to ransack your bag?
forage
They were forced to forage for clothes and fuel.
scrutinize
She scrutinized his features.
turn upside down
rummage through
frisk (informal)
cast around
rifle through
leave no stone unturned
turn inside out
fossick (Australian, New Zealand)
If you fossick around in some specialist music stores, you may be lucky enough to find a copy.
go over with a fine-tooth comb
2 (verb)
Definition
to examine (a person) for hidden objects
His first task was to search them for weapons.
Synonyms
inspect
Each hotel is inspected once a year.
check
Check the accuracy of every detail in your CV.
Get a mechanic to check the car out for you before you buy it.
examine
He examined her passport and stamped it.
frisk (informal)
He pushed him against the wall and frisked him.
give someone the once over (informal)
(noun)
Definition
an attempt to find something by looking somewhere
There was no chance of him being found alive and the search was abandoned.
Synonyms
hunt
The couple had helped in the hunt for the lost hiker.
look
She took a last look in the mirror.
inquiry
a murder inquiry
investigation
He ordered an investigation into the affair.
examination
They have taken the documents away for examination.
pursuit
Police had obstructed justice by hindering the pursuit of terrorists.
quest
his quest to find true love
going-over (informal)
Michael was given a complete going-over and was diagnosed with hay fever.
inspection
A routine inspection of the vessel turned up 50 kg of the drug.
exploration
an exploration of Celtic mythology
scrutiny
His private life came under media scrutiny.
rummage
Google (computing)
googlewhack (computing, informal)
phrase
See in search of
phrasal verb
See search for something or someone
idiom
See search me!
Additional synonyms
in the sense of check
Definition
to examine, investigate, or make an inquiry into
Check the accuracy of every detail in your CV.Get a mechanic to check the car out for you before you buy it.
Synonyms
examine,
test,
study,
look at,
research,
note,
confirm,
investigate,
monitor,
probe,
tick,
vet,
inspect,
look over,
verify,
work over,
scrutinize,
make sure of,
inquire into,
take a dekko at (British, slang, old-fashioned),
parse
in the sense of comb
Definition
to search with great care
Officers combed the woods for the murder weapon.
Synonyms
search,
hunt through,
sweep,
rake,
sift,
scour,
rummage,
ransack,
forage,
fossick (Australian, New Zealand),
go through with a fine-tooth comb
in the sense of examination
Definition
the act of examining
They have taken the documents away for examination.
Synonyms
inspection,
testing,
study,
research,
trial,
checking,
review,
survey,
investigation,
analysis,
consideration,
observation,
going-over (informal),
vetting,
scrutiny,
appraisal,
interrogation,
assay,
perusal,
recce (slang)
Synonyms of 'search'
search
Explore 'search' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of exploration
an exploration of Celtic mythology
Synonyms
investigation,
study,
research,
survey,
search,
inquiry,
analysis,
examination,
probe,
inspection,
scrutiny,
once-over (informal)
in the sense of explore
Definition
to examine or investigate, esp. systematically
The film explores the relationship between artist and instrument.
Synonyms
investigate,
consider,
research,
survey,
search,
prospect,
examine,
probe,
analyse,
look into,
inspect,
work over,
scrutinize,
inquire into
in the sense of ferret
Definition
to search around
She ferreted among some papers.
Synonyms
search,
hunt,
sift,
scour,
rummage,
forage,
fossick (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of forage
Definition
to obtain by searching about
They were forced to forage for clothes and fuel.
Synonyms
search,
hunt,
scavenge,
cast about,
seek,
explore,
raid,
scour,
plunder,
look round,
rummage,
ransack,
scrounge (informal),
fossick (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of fossick
Definition
to search for, through, or in something; to forage
If you fossick around in some specialist music stores, you may be lucky enough to find a copy.
Synonyms
search,
hunt,
explore,
ferret,
check,
forage,
rummage
in the sense of frisk
Definition
to search (someone) by feeling for concealed weapons, etc.
He pushed him against the wall and frisked him.
Synonyms
search,
check,
inspect,
run over,
shake down (US, slang),
body-search
in the sense of going-over
Definition
a thorough examination or investigation
Michael was given a complete going-over and was diagnosed with hay fever.
Synonyms
examination,
study,
check,
review,
survey,
investigation,
analysis,
inspection,
scrutiny,
perusal
in the sense of inquiry
Definition
an investigation
a murder inquiry
Synonyms
investigation,
hearing,
study,
review,
search,
survey,
analysis,
examination,
probe,
inspection,
exploration,
scrutiny,
inquest
in the sense of inspection
A routine inspection of the vessel turned up 50 kg of the drug.
Synonyms
check,
search,
investigation,
review,
survey,
examination,
scan,
scrutiny,
supervision,
surveillance,
look-over,
once-over (informal),
checkup,
recce (slang),
superintendence
in the sense of investigate
Definition
to inquire into (a situation or problem) thoroughly in order to discover the truth
Gas officials are investigating the cause of the explosion.
Synonyms
examine,
study,
research,
consider,
go into,
explore,
search for,
analyse,
look into,
inspect,
look over,
sift,
probe into,
work over,
scrutinize,
inquire into,
make inquiries about,
enquire into
Additional synonyms
in the sense of investigation
Definition
a careful search or examination in order to discover facts
He ordered an investigation into the affair.
Synonyms
examination,
study,
inquiry,
hearing,
research,
review,
search,
survey,
analysis,
probe,
inspection,
exploration,
scrutiny,
inquest,
fact finding,
recce (slang)
in the sense of look
Definition
a view or sight (of something)
She took a last look in the mirror.
Synonyms
glimpse,
view,
glance,
observation,
review,
survey,
sight,
examination,
gaze,
inspection,
peek,
squint (informal),
butcher's (British, slang),
gander (informal),
once-over (informal),
recce (slang),
eyeful (informal),
look-see (slang),
shufti (British, slang),
l%k
in the sense of probe
Definition
to investigate, or look into, closely
The more they probed into his background, the more suspicious they became.
Synonyms
examine,
research,
go into,
investigate,
explore,
test,
sound,
search,
look into,
query,
verify,
sift,
analyze,
dissect,
delve into,
work over,
scrutinize
in the sense of pursuit
Definition
the act of pursuing
Police had obstructed justice by hindering the pursuit of terrorists.
Synonyms
pursuing,
seeking,
tracking,
search,
hunt,
hunting,
chase,
trail,
trailing
in the sense of quest
Definition
a looking for or seeking
his quest to find true love
Synonyms
search,
hunt,
mission,
enterprise,
undertaking,
exploration,
crusade
in the sense of ransack
Definition
to search through every part of (a place or thing)
Why should they be allowed to ransack your bag?
Synonyms
search,
go through,
rummage through,
rake through,
explore,
comb,
scour,
forage,
turn inside out,
fossick (Australian, New Zealand)
in the sense of scour
Definition
to search thoroughly and energetically
We scoured the telephone directory for clues.
Synonyms
search,
hunt,
comb,
ransack,
forage,
look high and low,
go over with a fine-tooth comb
in the sense of scrutinize
Definition
to examine carefully or in minute detail
She scrutinized his features.
Synonyms
examine,
study,
inspect,
research,
search,
investigate,
explore,
probe,
analyse,
scan,
sift,
dissect,
work over,
pore over,
peruse,
inquire into,
go over with a fine-tooth comb
in the sense of scrutiny
Definition
very careful study or observation
His private life came under media scrutiny.
Synonyms
examination,
study,
investigation,
search,
inquiry,
analysis,
inspection,
exploration,
sifting,
once-over (informal),
perusal,
close study
in the sense of sift
Definition
to examine (information or evidence) carefully to select what is important
He has sifted the evidence and summarized it clearly.