n.
Pronunciation: ' s ə rch
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English cerchen, from Anglo-French cercher, sercher to travel about, investigate, search, from Late Latin circare to go about, from Latin circum round about ― more at CIRCUM-
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 : to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something: as a : to examine in seeking something < search ed the north field> b : to look through or explore by inspecting possible places of concealment or investigating suspicious circumstances c : to read thoroughly : CHECK especially : to examine a public record or register for information about < search land titles> d : to examine for articles concealed on the person e : to look at as if to discover or penetrate intention or nature
2 : to uncover, find, or come to know by inquiry or scrutiny ― usually used with out
intransitive verb
1 : to look or inquire carefully < search ed for the papers>
2 : to make painstaking investigation or examination
– search · able \ ' s ə r-ch ə -b ə l \ adjective
– search · er noun
– search · ing · ly \ -chi ŋ -l ē \ adverb