[search] vb [ME cerchen, fr. MF cerchier to go about, survey, search, fr. LL circare to go about, fr. L circum round about--more at circum-] vt (14c) 1: to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something: as a: to examine in seeking something "~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; esp: to examine a public record or register for information about "~ 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--usu. used with out ~ vi 1: to look or inquire carefully "~ed for the papers"
2: to make painstaking investigation or examination -- search.able adj -- search.er n -- search.ing.ly adv
[2]search n (15c) 1 a: an act of searching "a ~ for food" "go in ~ of help" b: an act of boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas in exercise of right of search
2. obs: a party that searches
3: power or range of penetrating; also: a penetrating effect