OZDIC

search

UK /sɜːt͡ʃ/ US /sɜːt͡ʃ/
verb 5noun 2name 1

Definitions

noun

1

An attempt to find something.

With only five minutes until we were meant to leave, the search for the keys started in earnest.

At least eight people died, and officials expressed deep concerns that the toll would rise as more searches of homes were carried out.

2

The act of searching in general.

Search is a hard problem for computers to solve efficiently.

Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much.

verb

1

To look in (a place) for something.

I searched the garden for the keys and found them in the vegetable patch.

2

To look thoroughly.

The police are searching for evidence in his flat.

It sufficeth that they have once with care and fairness sifted the matter as far as they could, and searched into all the particulars.

3

To look for, seek.

To search the God of loue, her Nymphes she sent / Throughout the wandring forrest euery where[…].

For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

4

To put a phrase into a search engine, especially one besides Google.

I searched "Paris Hilton" and found lots of unflattering stories.

5

To probe or examine (a wound).

Now torne we to the xj kynges that retorned vnto a cyte that hyghte Sorhaute / the whiche cyte was within kynge Vryens / and ther they refresshed hem as wel as they myght / and made leches serche theyr woundys and sorowed gretely for the dethe of her peple

Now to the bottome dost thou search my wound.

name

1

A surname.

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