Main Entry: ¹search

Pronunciation: \ˈsərch\

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 <searched 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 outintransitive verb 1 : to look or inquire carefully <searched for the papers>
2 : to make painstaking investigation or examination

— search·able \ˈsər-chə-bəl\ adjective

— search·er noun

— search·ing·ly \-chiŋ-lē\ adverb