root

The part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors and supports the plant body, absorbs and stores water and nutrients, and in some plants is able to perform vegetative reproduction.

(obsolete)

This tree's roots can go as deep as twenty metres underground.

A root vegetable.

[...] two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough.

The part of a tooth extending into the bone holding the tooth in place.

(archaic)

Root damage is a common problem of overbrushing.

The part of a hair under the skin that holds the hair in place.

The root is the only part of the hair that is alive.

The part of a hair near the skin that has not been dyed, permed, or otherwise treated.

He dyed his hair black last month, so the grey roots can be seen.

To grow roots; to enter the earth, as roots; to take root and begin to grow.

The cuttings are starting to root.

In deep grounds the weeds root the deeper.

To prepare, oversee, or otherwise cause the rooting of cuttings.

We rooted some cuttings last summer.

To fix firmly; to establish.

If any irregularity chanced to intervene and to cause misapprehensions, he gave them not leave to root and fasten by concealment.

Small theater companies come and go very quickly — many times after one show — but community response to Triangle has been strong, and there is a good chance that they will make it through those early growing stages and firmly root.

To get root or privileged access on (a computer system or mobile phone), often through bypassing some security mechanism.

We rooted his box and planted a virus on it.

I want to root my Android phone so I can remove the preinstalled crapware.

To turn up or dig with the snout.

A pig roots the earth for truffles.

Such tunges ſhuld be torne out by the harde rootes,

To seek favour or advancement by low arts or grovelling servility; to fawn.

Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog!

To rummage; to search as if by digging in soil.

rooting about in a junk-filled drawer

Of a baby: to turn the head and open the mouth in search of food.

When your baby is rooting, his head will turn to the side and he will open and close his mouth. If you put your finger in your baby's hand, she has a grasping reflex that makes her curl her fingers around yours and hold on.

To root out; to abolish.

I will go root away the noisome weeds.

The Lord rooted them out of their land [...] and cast them into another land.