- to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost: They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.
- to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed: He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.
- to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.
- to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information: to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.
- to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc.: He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.
- to look into, question, or scrutinize: She searched her conscience.
- (of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate: The sunlight searched the room's dark corners.
- to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often followed by out): to search out all the facts.
- to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.
- to electronically retrieve data, web pages, database records, or other information from (files, databases, etc.) by typing relevant terms into a search engine or other search tool: Most of us have searched the internet for medical advice.
- to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek; conduct an examination or investigation.
- the act of searching; careful examination or investigation: Her date with the guy she met online went badly, so her search for “Mr. Right” continues.
- an instance of this: Did the search turn up any clues?
- the practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband: the right of visit and search.
- the act or process of electronically retrieving data, web pages, database records, or other information from files, databases, etc., as in Boolean search; keyword search:A search of the article turned up two references to my company.
- I don't know: Why has it taken so long to reach a decision? Search me.
- to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something
- to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one's hands over the clothing
- to look at or examine (something) closely
- to discover by investigation
- surgery
- to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
- to probe (a wound)
- to fire all over (an area)
- to review (a file) to locate specific information
- to penetrate
- I don't know
- the act or an instance of searching
- the examination of a vessel by the right of search
- computing
- a review of a file to locate specific information
- (as modifier)
- the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure