I.
noun
1 an attempt to find sb/sth
ADJECTIVE
▪ exhaustive , extensive , painstaking , systematic , thorough
▪ major , massive , nationwide
▪ desperate , frantic
▪ constant
▪ random
▪
random security ~es
▪ fruitless , futile
▪ ongoing
▪ routine
▪
Police conducted a routine ~ of all the houses in the area.
▪ illegal , warrantless (both AmE )
▪
The President could order warrantless ~es for national security purposes.
▪ police
▪ house-to-house
▪ fingertip ( BrE )
▪
A team of police officers did a fingertip ~ of the area.
▪ body , strip
▪
I was subjected to a body ~ by customs officials.
VERB + SEARCH
▪ begin , initiate , launch , mount , start
▪
The police immediately launched a nationwide ~ for the killer.
▪ prompt , spark , trigger (all esp. BrE )
▪
His disappearance prompted a week-long ~.
▪ carry out , conduct , do , make
▪
The ~ for the missing men was conducted in poor weather conditions.
▪ lead
▪
Inspector Binns is leading the ~ for the stolen paintings.
▪ continue
▪ abandon , call off
▪
The ~ was called off when it began to get dark.
▪ resume
▪ narrow , widen
SEARCH + NOUN
▪ operation
▪
The police mounted an extensive ~ operation.
▪ area ( AmE )
▪
to narrow the ~ area
▪ party , team
▪
They sent out a ~ party to look for her.
▪ warrant
▪ committee ( AmE )
▪
A ~ committee was established to help the President find his Supreme Court nominee.
▪ firm ( esp. AmE )
▪
an executive ~ firm
PREPOSITION
▪ in ~ of
▪
We're constantly in ~ of new talent.
▪
Michael went off in ~ of another bottle of wine.
▪ ~ for
▪
the ~ for oil off the coast
PHRASES
▪ ~ and seizure ( AmE )
▪
The Constitution forbids unreasonable ~es and seizures.
2 on a computer
ADJECTIVE
▪ quick , simple
▪
a quick ~ on the Internet
▪ computer , database , Internet , online , Web
▪
I did an Internet ~ for free music sites.
▪ advanced , keyword
VERB + SEARCH
▪ conduct , do , perform , run
▪ narrow , refine
▪
You can refine a ~ using Boolean parameters.
SEARCH + NOUN
▪ engine
▪
This is one of the fastest Internet ~ engines.
▪ box
▪
Type your domain name in the ~ box.
▪ features
▪
A number of advanced ~ features are available.
▪ technology , tool
▪ query , term
▪
Companies try to identify the most popular ~ terms.
▪ results
▪ company
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ for
II.
verb
ADVERB
▪ carefully , systematically , thoroughly
▪
The area has been thoroughly ~ed.
▪ actively
▪
actively ~ing for something to keep the conversation going
▪ desperately , frantically
▪ fruitlessly , in vain , unsuccessfully , vainly
▪ aimlessly , blindly
▪
For the rest of the morning he ~ed aimlessly through the town.
▪ constantly
▪ around
▪
I ~ed around for a thick stick.
▪ online
▪
You can also ~ online for a job.
PREPOSITION
▪ among
▪
We ~ed among the rocks for crabs.
▪ for
▪
They are still ~ing for the missing child.
▪ in
▪
He ~ed in his pocket and found a few coins.
▪ through
▪
I ~ed through a drawer for my passport.
PHRASES
▪ ~ far and wide , ~ sth from top to bottom
▪
We ~ed the house from top to bottom.
▪ ~ high and low
▪
I have ~ed high and low and cannot find them.