Webster
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Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Search

Search, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Searched; p. pr. & vb. n. Searching.] [OE. serchen, cerchen, OF. cerchier, F. chercher, L. circare to go about, fr. L. circum, circa, around. See Circle.] 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.

To search out, to seek till found; to find by seeking; as, to search out truth.

Syn. — To explore; examine; scrutinize; seek; investigate; pry into; inquire.

Search, v. i. 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, n. [Cf. OF. cerche. See Search, v. t.] 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.

Right of search (Mar. Law), the right of the lawfully commissioned cruisers of belligerent nations to examine and search private merchant vessels on the high seas, for the enemy's property or for articles contraband of war. — Search warrant (Law), a warrant legally issued, authorizing an examination or search of a house, or other place, for goods stolen, secreted, or concealed.

Syn. — Scrutiny; examination; exploration; investigation; research; inquiry; quest; pursuit.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Noah Porter, editor (Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913). Public domain. Text as transcribed by MICRA, Inc., from Project Gutenberg. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: Greek, which our source spelled in Latin letters, set in Greek letters; entries of one spelling merged into one article; Greek words our source left out (shown as “?”), read from the 1898 printing, from the same plates (the Library of Congress’s copy), where the place could be found with certainty. Of the others, 1,362 (a word or a single letter each) were inferred by AI from the context by the dictionary’s own rules and are marked with a wavy underline (tap or point at one to see the note); the rest, which could not be inferred with confidence, are left as “?”.