ransack C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction US /ˈrænsæk/ UK /ˈrænsæk/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 verb to search thoroughly and roughly through a place, often to steal Burglars ransacked the house while the family was away. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to search thoroughly and... plunderpillagelootrifledespoilscourrummage Word family Derived forms ransackerransacking Related forms ramshackle Etymology AI details From Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka ('to search a house'), from rann ('house') + saka ('to seek'). rannsaka Old Norse rann Old Norse View etymology graph -> Topics Space, Position & Direction External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # ransack **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ˈrænsæk/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈrænsæk/ ## Meanings 1. to search thoroughly and roughly through a place, often to steal ## Examples - Burglars ransacked the house while the family was away. ## Synonyms - plunder - pillage - loot - rifle - despoil - scour - rummage ## Derived Forms - ransacker - ransacking ## Related Forms - ramshackle ## Roots and Affixes - Root: rannsaka - Root: rann ## Etymology From Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka ('to search a house'), from rann ('house') + saka ('to seek'). ## AI Etymology Ransack comes from Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka ('to search a house'), from rann ('house') + saka ('to seek'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to search thoroughly and roughly through a place, often to steal", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Old Norse rannsaka and Old Norse rann. Derivative forms include ransacker, ransacking; related words include ramshackle. ## Topics - Space, Position & Direction markdown