search Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone
    hunt; hunting.
  2. noun an investigation seeking answers
    • a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing
    • the outcome justified the search
  3. noun an operation that determines whether one or more of a set of items has a specified property
    lookup.
    • they wrote a program to do a table lookup
  4. noun the examination of alternative hypotheses
    • his search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful
  5. noun boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas
    • right of search
  6. verb try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
    look for; seek.
    • The police are searching for clues
    • They are searching for the missing man in the entire county
  7. verb search or seek
    look.
    • We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest
    • Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!
  8. verb inquire into
    explore; research.
    • the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project
    • He searched for information on his relatives on the web
    • Scientists are exploring the nature of consciousness
  9. verb subject to a search
    • The police searched the suspect
    • We searched the whole house for the missing keys

WordNet

Search transitive verb
Etymology
OE. serchen, cerchen, OF. cerchier, F. chercher, L. circare to go about, fr. L. circum, circa, around. See Circle.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Searched ; present participle & verbal noun Searching
Definitions
  1. To look over or through, for the purpose of finding something; to examine; to explore; as, to search the city. "Search the Scriptures." John v. 39.
    They are come to search the house. Shak.
    Search me, O God, and know my heart. Ps. cxxxix. 23.
  2. To inquire after; to look for; to seek.
    I will both search my sheep, and seek them out. Ezek. xxxiv. 11.
    Enough is left besides to search and know. Milton.
  3. To examine or explore by feeling with an instrument; to probe; as, to search a wound.
  4. To examine; to try; to put to the test. Syn. -- To explore; examine; scrutinize; seek; investigate; pry into; inquire.
Search intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To seek; to look for something; to make inquiry, exploration, or examination; to hunt.
    Once more search with me. Shak.
    It sufficeth that they have once with care sifted the matter, and searched into all the particulars. Locke.
Search noun
Etymology
Cf. OF. cerche. See Search, v. t.
Definitions
  1. The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.
    Thus the orb he roamed With narrow search, and with inspection deep Considered every creature. Milton.
    Nor did my search of liberty begin Till my black hairs were changed upon my chin. Dryden.
    Syn. -- Scrutiny; examination; exploration; investigation; research; inquiry; quest; pursuit.

Webster 1913