SEARCH

[verb] - to look (somewhere) carefully in order to find somethingThe police failed to find any evidence when they searched the office. [T]I've been searching all day, but I can't find my ring anywhere. [I]This computer programme is able to search text for spelling mistakes. [T]He searched (in/through) his pockets for some change. [T; I + preposition]The police are searching the woods for the missing child. [T]She searched his face for some sign of forgiveness, but it remained expressionless. [T]I've searched high and low (= everywhere), but I can't find my birth certificate. [I]The detectives searched the house from top to bottom (= all over it), but they found no sign of the stolen goods. [T]A police officer who searches you or your possessions looks for something you might be hiding.They were searched for guns and then released.If you search out something or someone, you find them after searching.Despite the warm weather we managed to search some snow out and do some skiing. [M]I searched out several old school friends by putting adverts in a newspaper. [M](figurative) She searched her mind/memory for (= tried to remember) the man's name, but she couldn't remember it. [T](figurative) Search your heart/conscience (= think honestly) and ask yourself whether you are really doing as much as you could to help the poor. [T](figurative formal) People who are searching after (= trying to obtain by mental effort) inner peace sometimes turn to religion. [I](informal) "Where's Jack?" "Search me! (= I don't know!)"