ransack

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˈrænsæk/ UK /ˈrænsæk/ See IPA manual

verb

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... plunder pillage loot rifle despoil scour rummage

Word family

Derived forms ransackerransacking

Related forms ramshackle

Etymology

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

# 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

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ransack

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