search

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an investigation seeking answers

   a thorough search of the ledgers revealed nothing

2. 2
   noun

   boarding and inspecting a ship on the high seas

   right of search

3. 3
   noun

   the examination of alternative hypotheses

   Our search for a move that would avoid checkmate was unsuccessful.

4. 4
   verb

   inquire into

   the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project

5. 5
   verb

   try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of

   The police are searching for clues

6. 6
   verb

   subject to a search

   The police searched the suspect

7. 7
   noun

   An attempt to find something.

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

8. 8
   noun

   The act of searching in general.

   Search is a hard problem for computers to solve efficiently.

Etymology

From Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus. Not related to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.