▪ I. seek, n.
[f. seek v.]
† 1. A series of notes upon a horn calling out hounds to begin a chase. Usually to blow a seek (blow v.1 14 c). Also fig. Obs.
| c 1500 Coucher-bk. Tutburye in Blount Anc. Tenures (1679) 170 At the said Crosse in the Towne the formast keper shall blow a Seeke. 1576 Turberv. Venerie 139 Lo now he blowes his horne, euen at the kennell dore, Alas, alas, he blowes a seeke, alas yet blowes he more. Ibid. ad fin., The measures of blowing set downe in the notes... The Seeke, with twoo windes. 1624 Bp. R. Montagu Immed. Addr. 35 There are..that loose themselues often, and their Desires in their Deuotions: and may very well goe blow the seeke for them. 1826 Hor. Smith Tor Hill (1838) I. 292 The foremost keeper blew a seek, to which all the others replied. |
2. Computers. The movement of a read/write head to a new position on a storage device; seek-time, the time taken by this, as part of the total access time.
| 1965 IEEE Trans. Computers XIV. 580/2 No more than three concurrent seek operations per data channel are justified for System I. 1967 AFIPS Conf. Proc. XXX. 11/1 Suppose that secondary memory is a disk... The operation of moving the arm is known as a seek; but the policy shortest seek time first..is unsatisfactory. 1974 Communications Assoc. Computing Machinery XVII. 139/2 The objective of optimally scheduling a sequence of requests on the dasd to minimize seektime or rotational delays. 1980 Sci. Amer. Aug. 118/3 First the head must be positioned over the proper track. This requires a ‘seek time’. |
▪ II. seek, v.
(siːk)
Pa. tense and pple. sought (sɔːt). Forms: inf. α. 1 sœ́can, sécan, sécean, séocan, 2–5 sieche, 2–6 seche, 4 Kent. zeche, 3 sæche, 3–5 siche, sheche, suche, 5 sech, seeche, 6 (9 dial.) seech. β. 2–7 seke, (2–3 imp. siec), 3–5 north. sek, 4–6 sieke, sike, syke, (chiefly Sc.) seyk, 4–7 seeke, 4–8 Sc. seik, 5 ceke, Sc. seike, 6 seyke, seick, seake, 5– seek. 3rd sing. pres. ind. α. 1 sœ́ceð, -as, 1–2 séceð, 2 sechð, 3 schecheð, 2–5 secheth, 4–5 -ith, -yth, -es. β. 1–2 sécð, 2–3 secþ, sekþ, 4 Kent. zekþ, 3–6 seketh, -es, -is, 4–5 -ith, -ez, 6 Sc. seik(k)is, 6–7 seekes, 6– seeketh, seeks. pa. tense 1 sohte, pl. sohtun, -on, -an, 2–4 sohte, (3 soðte, soþte, soch, Orm. sohhte), 3–4 sohut(e, soghut, soht, north. sochte, (sogtht), 3–5 souhte, souȝte, soȝte, soght(e, 3–6 sowte, 4 saȝte, (southe, southte, souch), Kent. zoȝte, 4–5 soughte, sowhte, souȝt, soȝt, sowght, sout(e, sowt, saght, pl. souȝtten, Sc. sowcht, schocht, 4–6 Sc. socht, soucht, 5 sowȝte, souȝhte, 6 Sc. souchte, 6–7 Sc. soght, 7 saught, 4– sought. Also 5 sekyd, 7 seekt. pa. pple. 1 ᵹesoht, 3 i-soht, i-soȝt, i-souht, (y-soþt), Orm. sohht, 3–4 soht, 3–5 soȝt, souȝt, 3–6 soght, 4 sohut, sowght, 4–5 souht, sout, sowt, soȝte, souȝte, (5 south, sowth, soyght), 4–6 sowȝt(e, Sc. socht, soucht, (4 sochte, 5 soacht), 6 sowghte, 6–7 saught, 5– sought. Also 8 seeked.
[A Com. Teut. weak verb: OE. sécan, pa. tense sō̆hte, corresp. to OFris. sêka, sêza, pa. tense sôchta, OS. sôkian, pa. tense sôhta (MLG. sôken), MDu., mod.Du. zoeken, OHG. suohhan, suohhen, pa. tense suohta (MHG. sûchen, mod.G. suchen), ON. s{obaracu}kja, pa. tense sótte (Sw. söka, Da. s{obar}ge), Goth. sôkjan, pa. tense sôkida, f. OTeut. *sōk-:—pre-Teut. *sāg-: cf. L. sāgīre to perceive by scent, Gr. ἡγεῖσθαι to lead.
The normal modern form of OE. sécan would be seech, which survives dial. in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire (cf. beseech); the form with k is prob. due to the ME. sēcþ, 3 pers. sing. pres. ind., which shows the regular phonetic development of OE. palatal c before a spirant; but it is not clear why the k form should have been generalized in seek and not in teach, unless indeed the tendency was supported in the former instance by the influence of the ON. form.]
I. Transitive uses.
1. a. To go in search or quest of; to try to find, look for (either a particular object—person, thing, or place—whose whereabouts are unknown, or an indefinite object suitable for a particular purpose).
In most parts of England the vb. in this sense is no longer colloquially current, being superseded by look for.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxii. §3 Hwæðer ᵹe nu secan gold on treowum? c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke ii. 48 Þin fæder & ic sariᵹende þe sohton. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 27 Þe unclene gast..secheð reste hwer he mei wunian. c 1200 Ormin 7308 Herode king let sekenn Crist. a 1225 Ancr. R. 324 A wummon þet haueð forloren hire nelde, oðer a sutare his el, he secheð hine anonriht. a 1250 Owl & N. 380 [The hare] secheþ paþes to þe groue. a 1300 Cursor M. 22901 An hungre leon mete he son, Vp and dun his prai sekand. c 1374 Chaucer Former Age 30 Corsed was the tyme..Þat men..in þe Ryuerys fyrst gemmys sowhte. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 118 He yede abowte in the gardin, and soute the clewe, & fonde it. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 48 He dede seche her a man of holy lyff. c 1450 Merlin 41 And ther was Merlyn longe tyme, till that the sones of Constance lete seche hym in many contrees. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 110 He..so wente and cam sechyng the tour of darayn, whiche he fonde in an euenyng. 1549 Compl. Scot. To Rdr. 12 Ane hen that seikis hyr meyt in the mydding. 1600 Weakest goeth to Wall G 2, Sexton, I haue sought thee in euery seate in the Church. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. vi. 37, I will go seeke Some Ditch, wherein to dye. 1618 Bolton Florus iii. iii. (1636) 167 The Cimbrians, Theutons, and Tigurins,..sought new habitations. c 1730 Ramsay Vision xx, Nor scour about to seik a wench. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1778) I. 155 (Paris), I called La Fleur to go seek me a barber directly. 1780 Burke Corr. (1844) II. 366 Other persons should be sought who can do the necessary business with more skill. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxxvii, I am seeking a place called Fairyknowe. 1818 ― Hrt. Midl. xxvi, Ye may be seeking a father to another wean for onything I ken. 1818 ― Rob Roy xvii, ‘I only sought the Orlando.’ ‘It lies there,’ said Miss Vernon, pointing to the table. 1842 Tennyson Ulysses 57 Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. 1852 R. Fortune Tea Countries of China 86 Travellers who seek Sunglo tea may now search in vain. 1865 Mrs. L. L. Clarke Seaweeds iv. 89 Wade into the sea, and seek them in the shadow of a rock under water. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lv. 3 You I sought on Campus. 1888–91 Blanford Mammalia India 121 The Mungooses are terrestrial animals, seeking their prey on the ground. |
b. with adv., esp. out, up, † forth.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 390/27 Men leten heom sechen wel widen out and bringue þere into place. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 22 Þe body son þei fonde, þe hade was in doute. Up & doune in þe felde þei souht it aboute. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 602 His men..Myssit thar lord quhen thai com thar... Than can thai consale sammyn ta, That thai to sek hym vp wald ga. 1530 Palsgr. 708/2 Throw your glove where you wyl and my dogge shal seke it out. 1536 MS. Acc. St. John's Hosp., Canterb., Payd to a man to helpe me to syke vp Byngis mare ij d. 1575–85 Abp. Sandys Serm. viii. 137 Let vs seeke vp Christ and prouide for him. He sought vs and found vs, when we [etc.]. 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. iv. 157 Yet haue I ventured to come seeke you out. 1616 T. Scot Philomythie ii. B 8 b, Those Serpents which you run from, I seeke forth. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xxix, Lucy arose, and opening a little ivory-cabinet, sought out the ribbon the lad wanted. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. iv. iv, The Deputies have mostly got thither, and sought out lodgings. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 104 Every one of us should seek out the best teacher whom he can find. 1889 R. A. King Passion's Slave III. xxix. 61 With this hope, she sought up Herbert in his smoking den. |
† c. In imp. as a direction to a reader: Look or search for (in a book, table, etc.). Also used = refer to, look up, see, vide. Obs.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 55 And so seiþ þe psauter, sech hit In Memento. 1599 E. Wright Err. Navig. E e 4 b, Seeke the signe and degree of the Sunne in the vpper Margine of the Table. 1611 Cotgr., Loinceau. Seeke Loinseau. 1694 J. Selden Trades-man's Help 142 Seek the Month among the rank of Months. 1730 Malcolm New Syst. Arith. 342 If the given Number is even, seek in the Table the odd Number next lesser. 1828 Moore's Pract. Navig. 22 Seek under the column o..the next less logarithm. |
d. Sporting. to seek dead: chiefly in the imperative, as an order given to a dog to search for and retrieve killed game.
| 1850 Hutchinson Dog Breaking (ed. 2) 162 If you wish to establish for ever a confirmed perseverance in ‘seeking dead’, you must sacrifice hours..rather than give up any of the first wounded birds. Ibid. 163 The pertinacity with which some dogs will ‘seek dead’ is really surprising. |
2. To try to discover or find out (something unknown). Also with out, up. Now rare or Obs.
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. i. xxvii. (1890) 78 Wið untrymnesse Iacedom secan. c 1200 Ormin 16325 All all swa summ þu findenn mahht, Ȝiff þatt tu willt itt sekenn, Þe tale off sexe & fowwerrtiȝ Þurh Adam all bitacnedd. a 1300 Cursor M. 1542 For-þi lete god þam lijf sua lang Þat þai moght seke and vnderfang Þe kynd o thinges þat þan were dern. c 1327 Poem Evil Times Edw. II in Pol. Songs (Camden) 332 Bringe hire to the constorie ther treuthe sholde be souht. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. met. ii. (1868) 8 He was wont to seche þe causes whennes þe sounyng wyndes moeuen. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxiv. 47 Not to me alone I trauailede, but to alle sechende out the treuthe. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 310 The Philosophres stoon Elixer clept, we sechen faste echoon. c 1425 Crafte Nombrynge (E.E.T.S.) 30 Þat nounbur þat þou secheste. ? c 1450 J. Capgrave St. Augustine ii. 4 And þouȝ þat he telle not her names þere, we haue sout hem oute of oþir of his bokis. c 1485 Digby Myst., Mary Magd. 307 Yf þe trewth be sowth. 1530 Tindale Answ. More Wks. (1573) 257/1 If y⊇ signification were once lost, we must of necessitie either seeke vp the signification or put some signification of Gods word therto. 1604 E. G[rimstone] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies ii. xi. 105 We are forced to seeke out other reasons, whence this great diversitie should proceede in the burning Zone. 1610 Hopton Baculum Geod. vi. xl. 217 To seeke the distance of any place from you. 1714 S. Cunn Doctr. Fractions 16 Multiply all the Numbers continually, and the Product is the Number sought. 1803 Med. Jrnl. X. 128, I believe that its cause must be sought in the state and variations of the atmosphere. 1828 Moore's Pract. Navig. 167 The height of the elevated pole or latitude sought. |
3. a. With object-clause introduced by a conjunction or by an interrog. pron. or adv.: To try to find or discover (if, how, whether, what, etc.). ? Obs.
| a 1000 Juliana 571 Sohte synnum fah hu he sarlicast þurh þa wyrrestan witu meahte feorh-cwale findan. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 339/527 Gredinde heo orn and longue souȝte a-boute bi þe se-side, Ȝif þe se him hadde up i cast. 1340 Ayenb. 80 Þe yealde filozofes þet zuo byzylyche desputede and zoȝten huet wes þe heȝeste guod ine þise lyue. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xx. 14 Þare-fore I..set me rycht besyly to seke quhat man he was & of quhat land. 1382 Wyclif Lev. xiii. 36 He shal na more seche, wher the heer be chaungid in to ȝalow colour. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 85 Ayein hir will yit mot I bowe, To seche if that I myhte have grace. c 1440 Gesta Rom. 136 He rode aboute this forest, & sowte wher this harpe myght be founde. 1574 H. Baker Well-spring Sci. (1617) 29 First, I must seek how many times the diuisor is contayned in the higher number. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 91 Now let vs on, my Lords, and ioyne our Powers, And seeke how we may preiudice the Foe. 1613 J. Tapp Pathw. Knowledge 311 Which product beeing 1587, I seeke how often it may be had in 3201. 1738 in Boswell Johnson (1816) I. 92 What mean the servile imitating crew..Ne'er seek. |
b. with how (etc.) followed by infinitive. ? Obs.
| 1526 Tindale Mark xi. 18 The scribes and hye prestes..sought howe to destroye him [1611 how they might destroy him]. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, v. iv. 2 Wise men ne'r sit and waile their losse, But chearely seeke how to redresse their harmes. 1621 T. Williamson tr. Goulart's Wise Vieillard 120 As a hote furious horse,..seekes how to cast his rider. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 75 Satan..then sought Where to lie hid. 1671 ― Samson 795, I..sought by all means therefore How to endear, and hold thee to me firmest. |
4. a. To go to, visit, resort to (a place). arch.
† In early use also: to take to (the sea); to fall on (the ground); to fall into (the water). (Cf. 14.) to seek a saint or hallow: to visit his shrine.
| Beowulf 1450 Se þe meregrundas mengan scolde, secan sundᵹebland. 971 Blickl. Hom. 47 Þæt hi Sunnandaᵹum & mæssedaᵹum Godes cyrican ᵹeorne secan. c 1200 Ormin 7574 Forrþrihht se time comm þærto Þatt ure laffdiȝ Marȝe, Affterr Judisskenn laȝhess boc, Þe minnstre shollde sekenn. a 1225 Ancr. R. 350 Oðre pilegrimes goð mid swinke uorte sechen one holie monnes bones. c 1275 Lay. 7938 Þar Cesares folk Þane grunde sohte [c 1205 folden isohten]. Ibid. 23490. Ibid. 14739 Þar þe Saxesse men þare see sohte [c 1205 þæ sæ isohten]. a 1300 Cursor M. 13252 Þe sinagogs all soght he Ouer all þe land of galilee. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 249 A wylde walterande whal..was war of þat wyȝe þat þe water soȝte. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 17 To Caunturbury they wende The hooly blisful martir for to seke. ― Wife's Prol. 657 Who so..suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes. c 1400 Beryn 632 As he souȝt his logging. 1422 Yonge tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 245 [In autumn] the byrdys shechyn hote regions. 1576 Gascoigne Philomene (Arb.) 95 You haue desire Your sisters court to seech. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. vii. 14 Your lowing Heifers, of their own accord, At wat'ring time will seek the neighb'ring Ford. 1798 Wordsw. Goody Blake & Harry Gill 64 And, now and then, it must be said,..She left her fire, or left her bed, To seek the hedge of Harry Gill. 1847 Tennyson Princess ii. 429 At last a solemn grace Concluded, and we sought the gardens. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xxxv. 4 Come from Larius,..seek Verona. |
† b. Naut. to seek up: to make for (a place). Obs.
| 14.. Sailing Directions (Hakl. Soc. 1889) 12 Goo south southwest, and seke up Tenet, and seke up vj. fadome on the brakis. |
5. a. To come or go to (a person) in order to see or visit him; to approach or resort to (for help, or the like). Obs.
| Beowulf 2380 Hyne wræcmæcgas ofer sæ sohtan, suna Ohteres. c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. i. §17 He hæfde þaᵹyt, ða he þone cyningc sohte, tamra deora unbebohtra syx hund. c 1200 Ormin 16781 He nass nohht derrf inoh All opennliȝ to sekenn Þe Laferrd Crist biforr þe follc. a 1250 Owl & N. 1759 To seche hine is lihtlich þing, he naueþ bute one woning. a 1300 K. Horn 465 Aþelbrus he soȝte [Harl. sohte, Laud sowte] & ȝaf him þat he broȝte. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. viii. 149 We schulle..seche þe for neode. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. 97 Þane sante andro sone scho schocht. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 113 Where is now youre dwellyng, Another day if þat I sholde yow seche? 1447 O. Bokenham Seyntys x. 165 (Horstm.) And where myht I fynd þat man? quod he; If þat I wyst, I wold hym seche. 1522 World & Child 571 (Manly) Foyle. But, syr, in London is my chefe dwellynge. Manh. In London? Where, yf a man the sought? 1530 Palsgr. 708/1 We wyll seke you there as we go, nous demanderons apres vous en chemyn. 1538 London in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 218 He ys moch sowȝt for the agow. |
b. spec. To approach, draw near to (God), in prayer, etc. [A Hebraism.] Said also of God's visiting the soul. arch.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 87 Sec nu þinne þeow, Drihten. c 1000 Ags. Ps. xiii. 3 Drihten..hawað hwæðer he ᵹeseo æniᵹne þæra, þe hine sece. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xiii. 3 Þat he see if any is vndirstandand or sekand god. c 1366 Chaucer A.B.C. 114 To enquere Wherfore and whi þe holi gost þee souhte. 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxii[i]. 1 O God..early wil I seke the. 1611 Bible Ezra iv. 2, Ps. xxiv. 6, cxix. 2, Zeph. ii. 3, etc. a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. viii. §191 They agreed therefore..that they would have a solemn fast⁓day, in which they would seek God (which was the new phrase they brought from Scotland with their Covenant), and desire his assistance. |
† 6. a. To pursue with hostile intention (a person; also, in Biblical phrase, his soul or life); to go to attack, advance against (an army, country); to persecute, harass, afflict. Also to seek out, to seek to death. Obs.
| Beowulf 801 Sawle secan. c 825 Vesp. Ps. lxix. 3 Fiond mine ða ðe soecað sawle mine. O.E. Chron. an. 894, Ond hi mon eac mid oþrum floccum sohte. c 1205 Lay. 31724 Oswi iherden suggen þat Penda hine sohte..& fusde toȝæines Pendan. c 1275 ― 6940 Þat neuere onleode ne sohte his riche [c 1205 þis lond ne iseoðten], ac þis lond was in paise. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 11361 Þe king hom sende word aȝen..þat he wolde hom seche out as is pur fon. a 1300 Cursor M. 13307 To man þai wroght neuer vn-pes, Þof man þam soght wit gret males. a 1352 Minot Poems vii. 65 Inglis men with site þam soght. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 102 Thai with so felloun will thaim socht, That thai slew thame euirilkane. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 2020, I sall þe seke [Dubl. MS. seche] with a sowme of seggis enarmed. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 441 Lordis, he said, thus is King Eduuard set, In contrar rycht to sek ws in our land. 1561 Underhill in Narr. Reform. (Camden) 169 Methynkes you do moore then the parte off a jentyllemane thus to seke hym. 1583 Grindal in Strype Life (1710) 281 Tending to the Defence of so notable and sincere a Church, dangerously sought and distressed by many mighty Enemies. 1588 Allen Admon. 34 Elias being sought to death by Achab and Iesabell. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. ii. ii. 161–2 Of vs must Pompey presently be sought, Or else he seekes out vs. |
b. Of sin, disease, etc.: To attack. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11833 On ilk side him soght þe sare. Ibid. 27543 Sines..Þat clerkes clepes veniale, Þe quilk sua hali man es noght Þat he ne vmquil wit þaim es soght. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 118 Mi sorwe is everemore unteid, And secheth overal my veines. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 870 Lord, suche syttes me haue sought! c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 1531 Seknes hyr had so socht in to that sted, Decest scho was. |
7. a. To try to obtain (something advantageous); to try to bring about or effect (an action, condition, opportunity, or the like). Also with out.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John v. 44 Þe..ne seceaþ þæt wuldor þe is fram gode syluum. a 1200 Moral Ode 215 in Lamb. Hom. 173 Þa þe godes milce secheð [other texts sechð, secð, sekþ], he iwis mei ha ifinden. a 1225 Ancr. R. 390 Ich chulle..aredden þe of ham þet schecheð þine deað. a 1300 Cursor M. 7239 Hir time sco soght, bad þam be nere. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints i. 315 Þe prefet..socht Ithandly occasione To bring hym to confusione. c 1400 Destr. Troy 531 A sure knyghte, Þat ayres into vnkoth lond auntres to seche. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 43 Ye..muste seke remedye and retorne to Epire. 1572 Memorial in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm. 1899) I. 22 To seik refuge againe in England. 1644 Vicars God in Mount 209 Seeking-out new occasions still to crosse the Parliaments desires of a faire Accomodation. a 1697 Aubrey Lives (1898) II. Sir T. Morgan 87 At which he tooke pett, and seek't his fortune (as a soldier). a 1700 Evelyn Diary 14 Jan. 1682, How earnestly the late E. of Danby..sought his friendship. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. Sterne i. 19 Mary sought relief from the tiresome uniformity. 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. x, Those adventures which it is the business of errant-knights to be industrious in seeking out. 1845 M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 19 The king sought the ruin of Praetextatus. 1835 Field 7 Feb. 147/3 [The fox] once more sought refuge in a drain. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert i. 2 She sought consolation in district visiting. |
† b. Phr. to seek one's best, to seek one's advantage. Cf. OF. querre son mieilz. (Later, to seek one's best avail.) Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 940 Oþer half ȝer we abbeþ now iwend wiþ oute reste In þe grete se of occean vorto seche oure beste. a 1300 K. Horn 770 ‘Cutberd’, he sede, ‘ihc hote, Icomen vt of þe bote, Wel feor fram biweste To seche mine beste’. a 1300 Cursor M. 2456 For þai wit þaim moght haf na rest, Þai most þan scail and seke þair best. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. Pref. A iij b, Menne lyued Brutyshlye in open feldes, hauiug neither house to shroude them in,..nor yet anye regarde to seeke their best auayle. |
† c. refl. To aim at one's own advantage. (Cf. self-seeking.) Obs.
| c 1450 tr. De Imitatione i. xiv. 16 Many priuely sekiþ hemself [L. se ipsos quaerunt] in þinges þat þey done. 1645 Calamy Indictm. England 19 These men seeke themselves and not the publique... These seeke their owne belly. |
† d. To invent, contrive. Also with out, up.
| 1340 Ayenb. 38 Kueade lordes..þet be-ulaȝeþ þe poure men..be tayles,..oþer be oþre wones þet hy zecheþ oþer beþencheþ hou hi moȝe habbe of hiren. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1623 The chekker.., The draghtes, the dyse, and oþer dregh gamnes [printed gaumes]. Soche soteltie þai soght to solas hom with. 1548 Forrest Pleas. Poesye 46 By moste honeste meanys of lawes ordynaunce sought owte wondreslye by witt polytike. 1593 G. Harvey Pierce's Super. D d 2 b, When I haue sought-vp my day-charmes and night-spelles. |
† e. To pursue, try to practise (virtue). Obs.
| 1340 Ayenb. 74 Ac hit ne is naȝt ynoȝ to lete þe kueades,..bote yef me zeche þe uirtues. |
f. To plan, or try to work (evil) on or to (a person).
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3130 Oc among ȝu, dredeð ȝu noȝt, to ȝu ne sal non iuel ben soȝt. a 1300 Cursor M. 688 Þe hund ne harmed noght þe hare, ne nane soght on oþer sare. Ibid. 16629 Þe scam þai on þair lauerd soght, ful tor it war to tell! 1390 Gower Conf. II. 120 As he which of his lif ne rowhte, His deth upon himself he sowhte. |
8. a. To ask for, demand, request (from a person); to inquire, try to learn by asking. Const. from, † at, † of, in OE. † to.
| 971 Blickl. Hom. 137 Hwæt secestu minne naman? a 1000 Juliana 170 Gif þu..þe to swa mildum mundbyrd secest. c 1200 Ormin 16212 Þeȝȝ sohhtenn..Att Jesu Crist summ takenn. c 1205 Lay. 3571 Wenne þu wult more suluer sæche hit at me suluen. a 1300 Cursor M. 3138 Þat child þat was sa mani yere, Ar it was send, soght wit praiyer. 1340 Ayenb. 184 ‘Vayre zone’, zayþ he, ‘zech euremo red of wyse men’... Alsuo tekþ þe writinge þet me ssel zeche red ate yealden, and naȝt mid þe yonge. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 56 God schal seke þe synful mannus bloode..of þe prelatis hondis. c 1450 Merlin 10, I come to seche youre counseill. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 54 Foly it was..Succour to sek of thar alde mortale fa. 1526 Tindale Luke xi. 16 And other tempted hym sekynge of hym a signe from heven. 1535 Coverdale Bible To Rdr., In the Psalmes we lerne how to resorte onely vnto God in all oure troubles, to seke helpe at him. 1596 Lodge Marg. Amer. D 4 b, You best were rather..to beseech for life then to seech loue. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 203, I will seeke satisfaction of you. 1848 Dickens Dombey xx, Before I sought a word of confidence from him. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert x. 113 Nothing would have induced her ever again to seek help or counsel from a priest. |
† b. With up: To try to recover (a debt). Obs.
| 1581 Rich Farew. D ij, To seeke vp suche small sommes as were due vnto hym. 1607 R. Johnson Pleas. Conceites Old Hobson (Percy Soc.) 8 Maister Hobson comming into Kent, to seeke up some desperate debts. |
† c. With in: (a) To invite (a person); (b) to call in (rent). Sc. Obs.
| 1675 in Fasti Aberd. (1854) 339 Upon the occasion of the regents ther soliciting for and seeking in of scollars throw the countrey. Ibid. 340 None of the regents of the saids colledgis shall..seek in or solicite..for any schollers to enter this present year. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Sheph. i. ii. 130 With glooman brow the laird seeks in his rent. |
d. In pass., of a person: To be ‘sought for’ (see 16); to be courted, to be ‘in request’ as a companion. Of a woman: to be wooed or asked in marriage.
| 1671 Milton P.R. iii. 342 His daughter, sought by many Prowest Knights. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Man of Many Fr. I. 208 She beheld him sought and courted. 1835 Macaulay Ess., Mackintosh ¶34 Charles was not imposed on his countrymen, but sought by them. |
e. Of things: † To demand, call for (obs.); to invite. rare.
| 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. lxxxii. (1674) 110 Injuries written by loquacious Poets, did not touch to the quick,..Truths did only nettle and seek revenge. 1883 Century Mag. Oct. 929/1 The fashion..of printing verse attractively and in a shape that seeks the hand. |
† 9. To entreat, beseech (a person) to do something; also of (the thing asked for). Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 19590 For drightin has þou soght wit wogh Þe to for-giue. Ibid. 19786 Til-ward þat like he turnd his face, And kneland soght godd of his grace. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iv. 49 Wrong was a-Fert þo and Wisdam souhte To Make his pees with pons. 1385 in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 410/2 The forsayde personaris..souch hym nother with grace lufe na with lauch, to delay his dome. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 163 Him þai supplyed & soȝt & him ensence castis. 1562 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) i. 149 Be thai vnpayit, thy pursevandis ar socht To pund pure communis corne, and cattell keir. 1629 Maxwell tr. Herodian iii. 171 Plautian [the traitor]..fell on his knees, and sought them not to misdeeme him. |
10. a. To search, explore (a place) in order to find something. (Sometimes coupled with search.)
With this and 10 b, c, d, cf. through-seek v.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 314 Hwoso haueð ȝeorne isouht alle þe hurnen of his heorte & ne con of-sechen more ut. a 1300 Cursor M. 7379 Samuel went secand þe land Til he þe hus o iesse faand. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 62 Thai fand nocht, The quhethir the chambre hale thai socht. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxi. 226 Thei wenten and soughten the Wodes, ȝif ony of hem had ben hid in the thikke of the Wodes. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 225 Lukafere, kinge of Baldas, The countrey hade serchid and sought, Ten thousande maidyns faire of face Vnto the Sowdan hath he broghte. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 65/1 Cekyn, or serchyn, scrutor. 1530 Palsgr. 708/1, I have sought all the cofers I have for your writynge. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 32 The kyng contynually sent foorth his light horses to seke the countrey, and to se yf any apparaunce were. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 214 [He] bad them searche and seik his schipis at thair awin plesour. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. iv. 16 Seeking all the woods both farre and nye For herbes to dresse their wounds. 1827 Scott Highl. Widow v, They sought brake, rock, and thicket, in vain. |
† b. To search, examine, consult (a book, register, etc.). Cf. 1 e. Obs.
| ? a 1500 Chester Pl. viii. 233 Looke vp thy Bookes of prophesie... Seeke each leafe, I thee pray. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xlii. 23 b, Robert of Cicyle..a great astronomyer..had often tymes sought his bokes on thestate of the kynges of England and of france: & he founde by his astrology [etc.]. 1654 Caldwell Papers (Maitland Club) I. 123 For seiking of ye register, to get ye auld gift of ye ward 0 12 0. |
† c. To probe (a wound); cf. search v. 8. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26641 Alsua þe sin quen it es wroght, Bot it be son wit saluing soght, it reches wide and rotes ai. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 3132 (Dubl. MS.) He gart seke þair sarys & þaim salue. c 1400 Laud Troy Book 9437 To him come fycisiens,..And soughte his woundes on eche halue, And leyde ther-to plastres & salue. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1730 Lechis sone his woundis sought. |
† d. With immaterial object: To examine, investigate, scrutinize; to try, test. Also with out, through. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26671, I haue mi hert soght ilk a delle. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 231 Kyngis & lordis schulden..wiþ most diligence sike þe cause þat þei knowe not [cf. Job xxix. 16]. 1408–9 26 Pol. Poems viii. 6 Wheþer hast þou serued pyne or blisse, Seche þy werkis and assaye. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 31 Faith is socht and prouine in aduersite as the gold is prouine in the fyr. 1535 Coverdale Ps. lxxvi[i]. 6, I commoned with myne owne herte, and sought out my sprete. 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5201 Wer thare fals lawis weill soucht out. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. iv. ii. 160, I would Reuenges..wold seek vs through And put vs to our answer. |
11. a. Const. inf.: To make it one's aim, to try or attempt to (do something). † Also with for to; rarely with plain inf. (without to).
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. John vii. 30 Hiᵹ hine sohton to nimanne. a 1225 Ancr. R. 130 Uor to huden him urom Saul þet him hatede & souhte uorte slenne. 1297 R. Glouc. 1325 Mid þe emperour & me pes he secþ drawe. a 1300 Cursor M. 3768 He soght his broþer for to sla. Ibid. 4076 Þai soght him ai to greue wit wrang. c 1450 tr. De Imitatione iii. xxv. 95 Seke euer þe lower place & to be under all. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (Sommer) 129 The King of Phrygia..sought by force to destroy the infant. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 148 Since I saught By Prayer th' offended Deitie to appease. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxxii, He sought to drown his sorrow for the defeat in floods of beer. |
b. said of a thing.
| 1610 Shakes. Temp. iii. i. 80 But this is trifling, And all the more it seekes to hide it selfe, The bigger bulke it shewes. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lxix. 3 Not tho' a gift should seek, some robe most filmy, to move her. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 93/1 The compass having free movement, is always seeking to point to the magnetic north. |
c. In indirect passive const., in which the object of the inf. becomes the subject of the main verb, followed by the passive inf.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 368 Whan he was sowȝte to be made a kynge, & so to take in hym worldly lordeschip. 1891 Law Times XCII. 106/2 Persons who have any interest in land which are sought to be registered can lodge a caution with the registering officer. |
† d. With a clause expressing desire or purpose, introduced by that. Obs.
| c 1200 Vices & Virtues 59 Siec ðat tu haue pais aȝeanes gode. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. xiv. 12 To edificacioun of the chirche seke that ȝe be plenteuous [and similarly in later versions]. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 3 b, Seke euer y{supt} ye may se his blessed..face. |
II. Intransitive uses.
12. a. absol. To make search.
| c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Luke xv. 8 Heo..secð ᵹeornlice oð heo hine fint. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 975 Heo ne sohte nawiht, an seide ananriht aȝein. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1533 Ðor quiles esau soȝte and ran. a 1300 Cursor M. 19499 Fra hus to hus secand he ran. c 1300 Havelok 1085 Þou y southe heþen in-to ynde, So fayr, so strong, ne mithe y finde. c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §1, I sowhte in the bakhalf of myn astrelabie, and fond the sercle of the daies. c 1450 Mankind 770 in Macro Plays 28 Yf ȝe wyll haue hym, goo, & syke, syke, syke! 1500–20 Dunbar Poems liii. 13 To seik fra Sterling to Stranawer, A mirrear Daunce mycht na man see. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 774 If examples be sufficient to attaine priuilege for my childe, I nede not farre to seeke. c 1570 Pride & Lowl. (1841) 9 Which in its furniture dyd so exceede As hardly shal ye find yf that ye seech. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 1247 ‘Seek, till we find’. And when they sought and found [etc.]. |
| indirect passive. 1847 C. Brontë J. Eyre xxxiii, The pocket-book was again..sought through. |
b. In imp. as a call to a dog to search for game, etc. Also seek out! (See quots.) Cf. sick v.2
| 1840 D. P. Blaine Encycl. Rural Sports 805 Back! returns the dog to your heels. Seek out! sends him off again in quest of game... Go seek! should be impressed on the dog's memory as an order to look for something supposed to be actually lost, or a bird you think is wounded. 1848 Hutchinson Dog Breaking 21 Then say ‘seek’ and, without your accompanying him he will search for what you have previously hidden. 1928 Kipling Limits & Renewals (1932) 64 Go seek, boy! It's Dinah! Seek! 1968 P. N. Walker Carnaby & Gaolbreakers xix. 178 ‘Seek,’ and the two police dogs were cast about the mini car. |
† c. Cricket. to seek out: to field. Obs.
| 1840 D. P. Blaine Encycl. Rural Sports 135 The whole party, who are seeking out..change their positions. |
d. Phrase, to have far to seek (for). Cf. 19.
| 1780 Bentham Princ. Legisl. xix. §9 Where then is the line to be drawn? We shall not have far to seek for it. 1828 Carlyle Burns Misc. 1840 I. 340 The poet, we imagine, can never have far to seek for a subject. |
13. a. To go, resort, pay a visit (to, unto, † till a person, to, into a place). Obs. exc. arch.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 127 Ðo..bigan þat folc sechen to his wunienge. c 1205 Lay. 28782 And he gon sechien to his twam susteren. c 1250 Owl & N. 538 Hi boþ hoȝ-ful & uel arme, an secheþ ȝorne to þe warme. a 1300 Cursor M. 13457 Fra full ferr can þai till him seke. Ibid. 28432 Þe nedy sekand to my hus I haue wit-draun wit almus. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 392 In-to Surre he souȝte. c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 282 Quha sperd, scho said to Sanct Margret thai socht. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. Prol. 184 Litill lammys Full tayt & tryg socht bletand to thar dammys. 1590 Greene Orl. Fur. (1599) F 1 b, Sith we haue..found the rich and wealthie Indian clime, Sought to, by greedie mindes, for hurtfull Gold. 1596 Bp. W. Barlow Three Serm. i. 129 To seek into strange places for sustenance. 1630 Bp. Hall Occas. Medit. xxxiii. (1633) 83 Give me that Bird which will..seeke to my window in the hardest frost. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 99 The tempest continuing..we were constrained to seeke into a creeke..for safety of our liues. 1634 Milton Comus 376 Wisdoms self Oft seeks to sweet retired Solitude. 1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) I. vi. vii. 252 If he is always to be thus sought unto methinks he is as far from his longed-for seclusion as ever. 1883 R. W. Dixon Mano ii. vi. 86 And in those days Sir Mano to him sought, And held with him much converse. 1887 Morris Odyss. xi. 190 But a-winter he sleeps in the feast-hall whereto the thrall-folk seek. |
b. To apply, have recourse to or unto (a person, for something); to pay court, make request or petition to. Often in indirect passive. Obs. exc. arch.
| c 1366 Chaucer A.B.C. 78 To whom j seeche for my medicyne. 1465 Paston Lett. II. 200, I can not seke to no man, nor will not but only to yow. a 1555 Hooper in Coverdale Lett. Martyrs (1564) 152 Prayer..is the meanes wherby god will be saught vnto for his gifts. 1560 Bible (Geneva) 2 Chron. xvi. 12 marg., It is in vaine to seke to y⊇ Phisitians, except first we seke to God to purge our sinnes. 1584 Lodge Alarum agst. Usurers 10 My friends now disdain thee, the day shall come that they shall seeke to thee. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Custom of Country v. i, I may shine out againe And as I have been, be admired and sought to. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. ii. liv. 316 No..Souldier, could receive a greater affront, than being sought unto, to do an unworthy action. 1740 Richardson Pamela II. 53 And you know you have been sought to by some of the first Families in the Nation, for your Alliance. 1746 Hervey Medit. (1818) 224 The dead cannot seek unto God. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxiii, If the wicked will turn from their transgressions, and seek to the Physician of souls. 1853 Lynch Lett. to Scattered, etc. (1872) 349 The Bereans..sought to the Referee; they searched the Old Scriptures. 1865 Swinburne Atalanta 32 Who then sought to thee? who gat help? |
† c. To resort to, unto, till (a remedy, means of help, an action). Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26678 Sekand til an sakful dede. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5519 Of alle bales was he brouȝt..& so schal euerich seg þat secheþ to þe gode. c 1400 Rule of St. Benet (Verse) 988 The fift degre es to be swift Eftir our sin to seke to schrift. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. i. i. i. 289 Cunning men, Wisards, & white-witches,..that if they bee sought vnto, will helpe almost all infirmities of body & mind. 1679 Penn Addr. Prot. i. x. (1692) 54 'Twas his Reproof..that they should seek to the stratagems of Heathen Nations. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxvii, Seek to prayer and penance, and mayest thou find acceptance! |
† d. To make a hostile approach to, till (a person). Obs. (Cf. senses 6 and 17 a.)
| 1375 Barbour Bruce vi. 625 The kyng met thame that till hym socht. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5903 He soght to on Symagon, a sad man of armys,..He bere to þe bold with a big sworde. |
† 14. a. To go, move, proceed (in a specified direction). Widely used in ME.; e.g. to seek up, to rise (from a sitting posture); to seek asunder, to part; to seek to the earth or ground, to fall; to seek out of life, to die. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. (Thorpe) I. 504 Hi ða syððan ᵹewunelice þider sohton. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1810 Þe luþer maximian westward hider soȝte. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12734 Wyþ þat strok to þe erþe he sought. c 1350 Will. Palerne 5455 Þei..soute seþe on-sunder, þouȝh it hem sore greued. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 655 Þat þou miȝt seo him þi⁓self ar þow henne seche. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 2962 With þat he sleȝly vp soȝt & his sete leuys. c 1400 Destr. Troy 6644 He seyt to þe soile & soght out of lyue. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 2952 They brake sege and homward sought. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 201 War nocht for schayme he had socht to the ground. a 1500 Lancelot 3428 And he goith one, and frome the feld he socht. |
b. said of a thing. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3106 Þe smel was suette þat soght til heuen. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 563 Quen þe swemande sorȝe soȝt to his hert. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 744 Ryght so sey I be fire or sovne Or smoke or other thynges lyght Alwey they seke vpwarde on hight. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1091 Er the sun vp soght with his softe beames. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1619 The giaunt hym ayen smate, Thorough his sheld and his plate, Into the flesh it sought. c 1470 Henry Wallace vi. 200 The paynfull wo socht till his hart full sone. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 43 Another Fig tree called ægiptiaca, being throwen into the water, it straight waye discendeth and seeketh to the bottom. |
c. Sometimes conjugated with be, in the perfect and pluperfect tenses. Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3707 In-to cades ðe folc was sogt. a 1300 Cursor M. 4320 For sua þou mai þe driue to ded..Quen þou art soght fra þi succur. 13.. Guy Warw. (1891) 502 Swiche sorwe icham in souȝt. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 3003 Or he was soȝt to þe side. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. i. 23 Eneas..Is till Evander socht. |
15. seek after ―. To go in quest of, look for; to try to find, reach, or obtain; † to pursue in order to hurt. Now chiefly in passive: To be desired or in demand; to be courted, to have one's presence desired.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 9 Sech after þing þe ðe beð biheue. c 1200 Ormin 6273, & all forrwerrp þu towarrd himm To sekenn affterr wræche. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 1/6 Eleyne, þat was is moder, to Ierusalem he sende to sechen after þe holie rode. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. v. (1868) 47 Þan is it no nede þat þou seke after þe superfluite of fortune. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 178, I seke after a segge þat I seigh ones. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. ix. 48 Bifore eer he eny suche causis fyndeth, and eer he aftir eny suche causis sechith. 1482 Monk of Evesham (Arb.) 53 Yef they..sekyd after the mercye of god and alsoo after the helpe of his holy seyntys. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xiii. (xiv.) 2 To se yf there were eny, that wolde vnderstonde & seke after God. Ibid. lxix. [lxx.] 2 Let them be shamed & confounded that seke after my soule [and so 1611]. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 405 You see (my good Wenches) how men of Merit are sought after. 1615 W. Bedwell Moham. Impost. iii. §97 We..do not seeke after those bookes. 1638 Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. II.) 44, I will never believe that ill fortune any more than good will seeke after me as far as this. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 11 ¶5 They have been always seek'd after by the Ladies. 1850 Scoresby Cheever's Whalem. Adv. vi. (1859) 77 The first four, only, of this catalogue are much sought after for their oil. 1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) I. vi. viii. 262, I was aware that he had been greatly sought after as a preacher. |
16. seek for ―. a. To look for, try to find or obtain, etc. (An equivalent for the transitive senses 1, 2, 7.)
| c 1250 Owl & N. 1508 Ich not hu mai eni freo-man for hire sechen after þan. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 208 And yit therfore With al his wit he hath don sieke. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 133 For more pasture I will nat stryue Nor seche for my foode no more. 1526 Tindale Mark i. 37 All men seke for the. 1563 Homilies ii. Rogation Week iii. 247 b, If we be colde, we seke for cloth. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 18 They went therefore seeking heere and there for money. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. iv. 161 Our disappointment and their security were neither to be sought for in their valour nor our misconduct. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xxv. 182 The group..broke up, seeking in all directions for a means of passage. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 362 The true life should neither seek for pleasures, nor..entirely avoid pains. |
† b. Naut. to seek up for: to ‘bear up for’, sail towards. Obs. rare.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 44 The tempest increasing.., we were constrained to seeke vp for the Port. |
† 17. seek on, upon ―. [Cf. onseek v.] a. To approach with hostile intention; to advance against, set on, attack, assail. Also in indirect passive. Similarly, to seek again(s (= against). (Cf. sense 6.) Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 8433 Herigal him soðte on mid hehær strengðe. c 1230 Hali Meid. 22 Leccherie anan riht greideð hire wið þet to weorrin o þi meiðhad, & secheð erst upon hire, nebbe to nebbe. a 1300 Cursor M. 4411 Ioseph soght [Gött. sohut] on me in bour. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 196 And somtyme be we suffred for to seke Vp-on a man, and doon his soule vnreste. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 190 And he with pouer goth to seke Ayein the Scottes forto fonde the werre which he tok on honde. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 1735 For þou has samed..a selly nounbre..to seke vs agaynes. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 84 My lord the Sowdon vpon me soght In grete wrathe. c 1470 Henry Wallace iii. 304 Vndyr my seylle I sall be bound to the For Inglismen, that thai sall do him nocht, Nor to no Scottis, less it be on thaim socht. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. xiii. 115 He is..ful lothe to fyghte with ony man but yf he be sore souȝt on. a 1500 Lancelot 3311 One thar fois ful fersly thai soght. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xlv. 150 Better it were for vs to seke batayle then to be sought on. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 341 Alcibiades..so came home highly welcomed, although thei had by necessitee been forced to seeke vpon hym. |
b. To approach, apply to (a person) in order to obtain something. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 13726 Quen þai þis wais on iesu soght, Well he wist all quat þai thoght. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xxi. i. 840 Than Syr Mordred sought on quene Gueneuer by letters & sondes..for to haue hir to come oute of the toure of london. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccxlviii. 556 When Johan Lyon sawe himselfe sought on by them whom he desyred to haue their good wylles and loue, he was greatly reioysed. 1536 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 5 They..seke only uppon hym for theyr ouun commodytye. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 12 b, Seyng that we seke upon straungers [L. quando peregrinos euocamus]. |
† 18. To make inquiry or request. Const. of (the thing inquired for). Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 80 Bot of here entre whan thei soghte, The gates weren al to smale. Ibid. III. 373 This have I for thin ese cast, That thou nomore of love sieche. |
III. Uses of the gerundial infinitive to seek.
19. a. Predicated of a thing or person that needs to be sought or looked for; = not to be found or not yet found, not at hand, absent, missing, lacking. far to seek, far out of reach, a long way off.
| c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 321 The Philosophres stoon..I warne yow wel, it is to seken euere. c 1540 J. Heywood Four PP. 294 Who may not playe one daye in a weke May thincke his thrift farre to seke. 1561 J. Awdelay Frat. Vacab. (1869) 13 When his Maister nedeth him, he is to seeke. 1573–80 Tusser Husb. (1878) 21 With some vpon Sundaies, their tables doe reeke, and halfe the weeke after, their dinners to seeke. 1612 Rowlands Knave of Harts B 4 b, With trauellers monie may be to seeke. a 1668 R. Lassels Voy. Italy ii. (1670) 317 Lest they should grow idle, and have their strength to seek when the war should break out. 1775 Tender Father I. 205 Amelia..was still to seek, and, perhaps, in reality, totally lost to him. 1874 Sidgwick Meth. Ethics iii. v. §6. 262 This supposes that we have found the rational method of determining value: which, however, is still to seek. 1904 S. Weyman Abb. Vlaye xi, The end she knew; the means were to seek. |
b. With negative: Not needing to be sought or looked for, not hard to find, not absent or wanting. Also not far, † not long, to seek.
| c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 784 Oure conseil was nat longe for to seche. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 160 My sorwe is thanne noght to seche. Ibid. 236 Whan Deianyre hath herd this speche, Ther was no sorwe forto seche. c 1450 Holland Howlat 238 All Se fowle and Seid fowle was nocht for to seike. ? a 1550 Freiris of Berwik 26 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 26 The four ordouris wer nocht for to seik, Thay wer all in this toun dwelling. 1860 Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. III. cxxxiv. 102 The extreme answer, for which examples are not to seek. 1876 W. H. Pollock in Contemp. Rev. June 57 The reason is not far to seek. |
20. Of a person, his faculties, etc.: a. At a loss or at fault; unable to act, understand, etc.; puzzled to know or decide. Const. indirect question introduced by how, what, etc.; also to (do). Obs. or arch.
Also much, far, all to seek; † new to seek, utterly at a loss.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 61 Thi wittes ben riht feer to seche. 14.. Hoccleve Min. Poems xxiv. 514 With him ther hath been many a sundry leeche..but al to seeche Hire art was. a 1500 Flower & Leaf 234 And hardily, they were nothing to seke How they on hem shuld the harneys set. 1523 Skelton Garl. Laurel 893 Zeuxes, that enpicturid fare Elene the quene, You to deuyse his crafte were to seke. a 1529 ― Agst. Garnesche ii. 37 To turney or to tante with me ye ar to fare to seke. 1581 Rich Farew. B b j, Thus Emelya was now [read new] to seeke. 1583 Golding Calvin's Deut. lxxii. 445/1 Insomuch that..they wote not where they bee, but are newe to seeke in their imaginations. 1597 Hollyband Fr. Littleton Ep. Ded. (1625) 5 Saying, that the learner is newe to seeke, when he cometh to a booke without such marks. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxxix. (1612) 325 Yea far he is to seeke of what his proper Nature is. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 847 The Gouernour..who alwaies brought vp in ciuile affaires, was to seeke how to defend a siege. 1667 Duchess of Newcastle Life Duke of N. (1886) iii. 192 Whereas now he should be to seek to do the like, his estate being so much ruined by the late Civil Wars. 1698 M. Lister Journ. Paris (1699) 27 Whence this great Liberty of Sculpture arises, I am much to seek. 1709 Shaftesbury Moralists ii. i. 47 But what real Good is, I am still to seek. 1803 tr. P. Le Brun's Mons. Botte I. 48 Charles passed the night in..forming projects, abandoning them [etc.]. In the morning he was as much to seek as ever. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xx, For the details of our itinerary, I am all to seek. |
b. Wanting or deficient in, † of; without skill or learning in. With for: Badly off or at a loss for, unable to find. arch.
| c 1522 Skelton Why nat to Courte 314 Sergyantes of the coyfe eke, He sayth they are to seke In pletynge of theyr case At the Commune Place. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde Prol. D j, So be there agayne many mofull vndiscreate, vnreasonable, chorlishe, and farre to seke in such thinges. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 89 Greece is..neuer void of some Synon, neuer to seeke of some deceitful shifter. 1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair ii. ii, I that haue dealt so long in the fire, will not be to seek in smoak, now. 1625 Bacon Ess., Usury (Arb.) 544 For if you reduce Vsury, to one Low Rate,..the Merchant wil be to seeke for Money. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, Dan. iii. 16 O King Nebuchadnezzar, wee are not to seeke of a ready answer to this charge of thine. 1670 Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 199 He being to seek for a version that would please the Doctor, it was a long time before he could hit it. 1704 Swift T. Tub v. 118 Does he not also leaue us wholly to seek in the Art of Political Wagering? 1771 Foote Maid of Bath iii. Wks. 1799 II. 238, I promise you she sha'n't be to seek for the means. 1803 Porson in Museum Crit. (1814) I. 332 The Germans in Greek Are sadly to seek. 1835 H. J. Rose in Newman's Lett. (1891) II. 107 Our good clergy are sadly to seek in the great points, viz. Church authority, &c. 1886 Besant Childr. Gibeon i. ix, The Cause, which is at present sadly to seek in the matter of young ladies. |
† c. Astray from the truth, mistaken. not to seek: not ignorant, well aware (that). Obs.
| 1569 Sir N. Throckmorton Let. in Robertson Hist. Scot. App. No. 32 You are not to seek that some will use cautions, some neutrality, some delays. 1639 T. de la Grey Compl. Horsem. 347 Yet are they very much to seeke in that they doe so much exclaime against taking up of veyns. 1657 Heylin Ecclesia Vind. Gen. Pref. c 1 b, Which if it be not a restraining of the Gift of Prayer, I am much to seek. |
IV. 21. Comb. a. of the verb + object, as † seek-sorrow, -trouble, one who seeks sorrow, etc. b. seek-no-farther (or -further), a kind of apple.
| a 1586 Sidney Arcadia i. (1598) 88 A field they go, where manie lookers be, And thou seek-sorow Klaius them among. 1611 Florio, Cattabriga, a make-bate, a busie-bodie, a pick-thanke, a seeke-trouble. 1670 L. Meager Eng. Gard. 86 [Apples.] Seek no farther. 1845 Downing Fruits Amer. 93 Autumn Apples...Rambo. Seek-no-further, of New Jersey. 1850 Miss Warner Wide Wide World xxii, ‘Seek-no-further!’ said Ellen;—‘what a funny name. It ought to be a mighty good apple’. 1875 Hogg Fruit Man. (ed. 4) 134 This is the true old Seek-no-farther. |
▪ III. seek
obs. f. sick; var. Sikh.