▪ I. search, n.
(sɜːtʃ)
Forms: 4–6 serche, 5 serge, 5–6 searche, 5–7 serch, 6 sertche, serse, 6– search.
[a. AF. serche (Rolls of Parlt. 1314–5, 1353), OF. cerche (mod.F. cherche), vbl. n., f. cerchier: see search v. In some uses prob. an Eng. formation on the verb.]
1. a. The action or an act of searching; examination or scrutiny for the purpose of finding a person or thing. Const. after, for, † of (the object sought). † Also, investigation of a question; effort to ascertain something.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy. 524 The woman..shewid forth her ernd..In sauyng hir seluen and serche of his wille. c 1450 Cov. Myst. (1841) 292 Thurwe alle Galyle a serge to make, Yf Ihesu be enteryd ȝour pepyl among. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. xiv. (1885) 142 This serche which we nowe haue made..hath be a digression ffrom the mater in wich we labour. 1530 Palsgr. 269/1 Sertche enquyre, enqueste. 1565 Allen Def. Purg. i. vi. 61 b, Let vs entre into the searche of the meaning of these two textes, withe suche plainesse and sinceritye that [etc.]. 1570 Levins Manip. 82/20 A Serse, scrutinium. 1608 Shakes. Per. iii. Prol. 16 By many a dearne and painefull pearch Of Perycles the carefull search,..Is made with all due diligence. c 1610 Women Saints 43 When after earnest serch none could be founde, whome they iudged worthie of her. 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life (1747) III. 127 [Ministers] who by their..diligent Search of Scripture, were..to qualify themselves to teach [etc.]. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. i. 38 Nor did my search of liberty begin, Till my black hairs were chang'd upon my chin. 1744 Akenside Pleas. Imag. ii. 29 Where studious ease consumes the silent hour In shadowy searches and unfruitful care. 1746 Francis tr. Horace, Epist. i. i. 16 Farewel to Verses, for the Search of Truth And moral Decency hath fill'd my Breast. 1829 Scott Rob Roy Introd. 2nd half, Robin Oig absconded, and escaped all search. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. xxvii. 390, I..resolved to devote another year to a search among the chief glaciers. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 352 The whole of our discussion from the very beginning has been a search after knowledge. 1888 J. A. H. Murray N.E.D. Pref. 16 Those who..have been always ready to undertake searches in connexion with groups of words at which the Editor and his staff were actually working. |
| quasi-personified. 1675 Otway Alcibiades ii. i, Beyond what Search can see or Fancy track. |
b. Phrases.
in search of (
= F.
en cherche de): In quest of; in order to find; also,
predicatively, occupied in searching for.
to make (a) search (see
make v.
1 59 a): to search (
for some lost, concealed, or desired object).
| 1455 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) 287 That they make serch withyn har qarterys. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 77 To make diligent searche and inquisition what maner of people inhabited the land. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 428 If zealous loue should go in search of vertue, Where should he finde it purer then in Blanch? 1610 ― Temp. ii. i. 323 Lead off this ground and let's make further search For my poore sonne. 1644 Evelyn Diary 5 Nov., I received instructions how to behave in towne, with directions to masters and bookes to take in search of the antiquities, churches, collections, &c. 1716–8 Lady M. W. Montagu Lett. I. xxiii. 70, I might run into Turkey in search of liberty. 1809 H. More (title) Coelebs in Search of a Wife. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 234 Search was made; and Godfrey's corpse was found in a field near London. 1879 Lubbock Sci. Lect. iii. 71 Some species..ascend bushes in search of aphides. Mod. I am at present in search of a house. |
† c. Object of search.
Obs. (?
nonce-use.)
| 1806 H. Siddons Maid, Wife, & Widow I. 244 Content is the end, the search of all mankind. |
† d. In wider sense: Examination (with regard to quality, conduct, etc.).
Obs.| 1523 Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII, c. 2 Euery such stranger, occupieng any mistery or handy craft..shalbe under the serche and reformacion of the wardens. 1613 J. May Decl. Estate Clothing iv. 17 The Law hath effectually prouided for the search in all points, that in euerie place where cloth is made and sold, two, foure, six, or eight shall bee appointed for the search thereof, that it be according to law. |
2. spec. a. An examination of a ship's cargo, etc. for the purpose of enforcing customs duties.
| 1462 Paston Lett. II. 107 The seyd Chapman is of no reputacion,..and be colour of hise office of supervisor of the searche shal gretly hurte the port. 1686 tr. Chardin's Trav. Persia 62 The saique, which is a sort of Turkish Vessel that takes the Commander aboard, is not expos'd to the search of the Customers. 1700 Law Counc. Trade (1781) 260 By multiplying of oaths, searches, dangers and difficulties. 1891 Olver & O'Reilly Imperial Tariff 82 Such search, so far as passengers' baggage is concerned, need in future only be made by the officers when requested to do so by the police. |
b. An examination of a register or of documents in public custody, for the discovery of information which is believed to be contained therein.
| 1465 Paston Lett. II. 243 John Salatt hathe made a serge in the regestre..aftre the wylles and testements. 1554 in Shropsh. Parish Documents (1903) 54 For the serche of the Regestre at lychefylde vis viii{supd}. 1836 Act 6 & 7 Will. IV, c. 86 §37 For every general Search of the said Indexes shall be paid the Sum of Twenty Shillings. |
† c. Self-examination of conscience, mental introspection.
Obs.| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 234 The exercyse..is called a meditacyon, as longe as it is with any inquisicyon, serche, or difficulty of y⊇ mynde. 1659 A. Hay Diary (S.H.S.) 50, I..then retired myself to my preparatioun and weeklie search, and had a very comfortable allowance in some meditations. a 1673 Swinnock in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. iv. 4 The most successful searches have been made in the night season. |
d. right of search: the right, recognized by the law of nations, by which a duly commissioned ship of war of a belligerent state is empowered, outside neutral waters, to stop and examine a merchant vessel for contraband; also
occas. in wider sense (
cf. quot. 1817).
visit and search: see
visit n.| 1798 Deb. Congress U.S. 12 June (1851) 1907 Gentlemen appeared to confound the right of search with the right of capture. 1817 Brougham in Parl. Deb. 9 July 1800 The only means of ultimate success consisted, in his opinion, in the adoption of some arrangement among the greater powers of Europe, which should establish a mutual right of search [of slave vessels]. 1879 M{supc}Carthy Own Times II. 345 The plenipotentiaries before separating came to an agreement on the subject of the right of search, and the rules generally of maritime war. |
† 3. Range to which search extends.
Obs.| 1610 B. Jonson Masques, Pr. Henries Barriers 89 Beyond the paths and searches of the sunne Let him tempt fate. 1792 S. Rogers Pleas. Mem. i. 361 That eye so finely wrought, Beyond the search of sense. |
4. Searching effect (of cold or wind).
Cf. search v. 9.
| 1609 Dekker Raven's Almanack Wks. (Grosart) IV. 196 By which meanes the spring to some people..proue [sic] as fatall and as busie in priuie Searches as the fall of the Leafe. 1902 Blackw. Mag. Nov. 591/2 Outside there was the drip of the thatch eaves, the old search and pity of the wind, but they heard not these. |
5. concr. applied to persons:
† a. A searcher, examiner;
spec. in a Bridgetin convent, the official title of the sisters (at Sion House four in number) who were under the Prioress entrusted with the supervision of the behaviour of the nuns.
Obs. Cf. the similar use of
searcher 2 c.
| c 1450 in Aungier Hist. Syon (1840) 251 In the chaptyr noon schal..speke..but the president, the chantour, the serches, and they that confesse her owen defautes. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 154 Yet she muste aske forgyuenesse afterwarde and the souerayne and serches that haue cure of the relygyon oughte to se that she be sadly correcte. 1652 J. Wright tr. Camus' Nat. Paradox ix. 215 The Shee-Inquisitors came first thither to doe their Office... There was not one of the three Searches, but judged this good Office as feasable as reasonable. |
† b. A search-party.
Obs.| 1604 Shakes. Oth. i. i. 159 That you shall surely find him Lead to the Sagitary the raised Search. |
6. attrib. and
Comb., as
search area,
search-making,
search-party,
search plane,
search team;
search coil Electr. = exploring coil s.v. exploring vbl. n.;
† search-day, ? an occasion of an official visitation;
† search-house, the building or room in which goods are searched by the custom-house officers;
search-parade, a periodical gathering of convicts in a prison for purposes of examination of their clothing for the detection of unlawful possessions;
search-room, the room in the Public Record Office provided for members of the public who wish to search documents there preserved;
search-sheet (see
quot.);
search-warrant, a warrant authorizing the searching of the dwelling of a person suspected of crime.
| 1973 H. Nielsen Severed Key i. 13 Word of the airline crash had spread rapidly... Only the hardiest of the amateur sailors would be able to reach the *search area. 1977 New Yorker 27 June 62/3 The search area could not be reduced much below forty thousand square miles. |
| 1897 Electrician 30 July 439/2 You travel along the line of the main, carefully tracking the cable with the *search coil, and listening intently at the telephone receiver. 1933 [see fluxmeter, flux meter s.v. flux n. 13]. 1953 R. J. C. Atkinson Field Archaeol. (ed. 2) i. 39 The soil is usually removed in a series of shallow layers, and the surface of each layer can be swept with the search-coil. |
| 1547 in E. B. Jupp Carpenters' Co. (1887) 386 Item payd for oure dynner on the *serche day of oure lands, vjs iij{supd}. |
| c 1530 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. II. 39 All our cariage was had home to the *serch house, where all my Master's apparail and the gentlemens, with the rest of the servaunts were serched to th' uttermost. |
| 1495 Cov. Leet-bk. 568 And that þe shirrifs wekely make serch..vppon þe peyn to lese Cs. at euery tyme they be founde laches in *serch-makyng. |
| 1903 [Neville] Penal Serv. v. 43 The *search parade and the ‘rub down’ four times a day constitutes a sort of drill. |
| 1884 Graphic 23 Aug. 202/1 A *search party was sent back, and presently they espied a pool of blood in the footpath. 1978 J. Irving World according to Garp ii. 30 She quickly organized a search party among the healthier and more mobile patients. 1981 A. Morice Men in her Death viii. 91 I'll be on my way. Robin will be sending out search parties if I'm not home soon. |
| 1966 M. Woodhouse Tree Frog xxvi. 195 They would send out a *search plane as soon as it got light. 1978 R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant xxx. 348 A capsized craft fitting the description of the small boat was sighted by low-flying coastal search planes. |
| 1897 Dict. Nat. Biog. LI. 211 The Record Office, where he ultimately became superintendent of the *search room. |
| 1902 Encycl. Brit. XXX. 132/1 The deeds are indexed according to properties—each property having a separate number and folio called a ‘*search sheet’, on which all deeds affecting it are referred to. |
| 1976 L. Sanders Hamlet Warning xxvii. 239 Organize your men into *search teams for the sectors they hold. |
| 1739 W. Stephens Jrnl. 26 Mar. in Colonial Rec. Georgia (1906) IV. 306 It was thought proper to send out several Officers with a *search Warrant. 1752 Fielding Amelia I. iii. xi. 269, I believe I should have applied to a Magistrate for a Search-warrant for that Picture. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xiv, If there was to be a search-warrant granted, he thought the siller wad be fund some gate near to St. James's Palace. 1879 Farrar St. Paul (1883) 130 The brethren who remained had either eluded his search-warrant, or been rescued from his power. |
▸
search engine n. Computing a piece of hardware or software designed for searching,
esp. a program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to one or more keywords specified by the user;
spec. such a program used to search for information available over the Internet, using its own previously compiled database of Internet files and documents.
Cf. browser n.| 1984 Amer. Libraries June 440/2 Notice the trend toward associative hardware *search engines, e.g., GESCAN 2, a General Electric computer built specifically for searching rather than for general purposes. 1989 IEEE Jrnl. Solid-state Circuits 24 1003/1 This paper describes the design, implementation, and experimental results for a ternary content addressable search engine chip. 1992 MacUser 21 Feb. 24/4 The product itself..is at core a search engine that allows files and folders to be found on an individual Mac, or on a network. 1994 CD-ROM World Apr. 23/2 (advt.) The archive files have all been read and indexed by our hypertext search engine. 1999 Writing Mag. Dec. 31/2 According to the report search engines are biased toward sites that receive the most traffic. |
▪ II. search, v. (
sɜːtʃ)
Forms: α. 4–6
serch(e,
cerche, 5
sorche, 5–6
sarche,
searche, 6
sarych,
scarche,
sertche,
seyrch,
Sc. scearche,
seirch(e, 7
cherch, 6–
search; β. 5
serge,
scerge,
seerge,
cerge; γ. 5–6
sers, 6
seirs,
searse,
Sc. searce,
seirce,
serce,
serss,
cers,
cerse,
cerss.
[a. OF. cerchier (mod.F. chercher), corresp. to Pr. cercar, It. cercare to seek, Sp., Pg. cercar to surround:—late L. circāre to go round, f. L. circus circle.] I. To explore, examine thoroughly.
1. trans. To go about (a country or place) in order to find, or to ascertain the presence or absence of, some person or thing; to explore in quest of some object.
| α c 1330 King of Tars 929 Thou scholdest come with⁓oute bost, And serche uche cuntray. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxxi. 315, I..have..cerched manye fulle straunge places. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxx. q 3 b, They wente and serched and skymmed the see. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV, 28 b, When the erle had searched all the coaste of Fraunce, and had founde not one pirate or sea robber. 1611 Bible Num. xiii. 2 Send thou men, that they may search the lande of Canaan. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 170 The Guardian of the Bees, For Slips of Pines, may search the Mountain Trees. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xlvii. 7 Shall..they, my jolly comrades, Search the streets on a quest of invitation? |
| β c 1440 Promp. Parv. 453/2 Seergyn, or serchyn, scrutor, lustro, perlustro. |
| γ a 1500 Droichis Part of Play 162 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 320 Gar sers baith Louthiane and Fyf And vale to me a mekle wyf. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. xi. 118 To toune agane I sped with all my mycht..Wilfull all aventuris new⁓lingis to assay, And for to serce Troy, every streit, and way. |
2. To look through, examine internally (a building, an apartment, a receptacle of any kind) in quest of some object concealed or lost.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 443 Houses were besiliche y-serched ȝif out myȝt be y-founde. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 51 He serchid all the palais of kyng lichaon, and maad thepiriens to sease his richesses. 1535 Coverdale 1 Kings xx. 6 Tomorow aboute this tyme wil I sende my seruauntes vnto the, y{supt} they maye serch thyne house. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. ii. 167 Helpe to search my house this one time: if I find not what I seeke, shew no colour for my extremity. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 47 They..will search every Coach for you with Torches. 1819 Shelley Cenci iv. iv. 31 Even now they search the tower, and find the body. 1843 Poe Purloined Letter, When G— detailed to us his mode of searching the premises. |
3. a. To examine (a person) by handling, removal of garments, and the like, to ascertain whether any article (usually, something stolen or contraband) is concealed in his clothing.
| 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 2770 And also that ye wel provyde To cerche hem wel on euery syde, Thys synful folk, with pakkys large. 1474 Caxton Chesse ii. v. (1883) 62 The Iayler serchid her that she shold bere no mete ne drynke to her moder. 1646 Evelyn Diary Apr., The officers search'd us thoroughly for prohibited goods. 1687 Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. 266 But not before we and our Goods had been searched at the Custome-house. 1843 Poe Purloined Letter, He has been twice waylaid..and his person rigorously searched under my own inspection. 1891 Olver & O'Reilly Imperial Tariff 82 A power is given to officers of the Board to search persons suspected of concealing prohibited goods about their persons. |
† b. In wider sense: (see
quot.).
Obs.| 1692 Wood Life 20 Aug. (O.H.S.) III. 399 The maid was search'd and found to be with child. |
c. search me: used (chiefly
imp. in response to a question) to imply that the speaker has no knowledge of some fact or no idea what course to take.
colloq. (
orig. N. Amer.).
| 1901 Merwin & Webster Calumet ‘K’ iii. 37 ‘Search me,’ said Denis. ‘They've tied us up for these two weeks.’ 1907 F. H. Burnett Shuttle xxvi. 262 If this ain't the limit! You may search me! 1916 ‘B. M. Bower’ Phantom Herd xi. 191 What ails that darned thing?.. You can search me. 1920 ‘Sapper’ Bull-Dog Drummond ii. 60 ‘Why did he send his confidential secretary..to Belfast?’ ‘Search me,’ said Hugh. 1930 E. Waugh Vile Bodies i. 9 Word of eighteen letters meaning carnivorous mammal. Search me if I know how they do think of these things. 1949 G. Davenport Family Fortunes iii. i. 189 ‘How could the road be washed out—I went over it yesterday morning and it hasn't rained since!’ ‘Search me.’ 1959 J. Thurber Years with Ross iv. 61 Faced with these formidable questions, any of his intimates..might easily murmur..‘God Knows’ or ‘Search me’. 1965 D. Francis For Kicks viii. 110 ‘Where did he go for the summer?’ I asked... ‘Search me.’ 1980 B. Bainbridge Winter Garden xiii. 102 ‘But where am I going?’ asked Ashburner... ‘Search me,’ said Bernard. ‘It's supposed to be a surprise.’ |
4. To peruse, look through, examine (writings, records) in order to discover whether certain things are contained there.
| α 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 41 Ivlius Cesar..lokede and serchede stories and bookes of his ȝeres of doynge and dedes. 1526 Tindale N.T. John v. 39 Searche the scriptures, for in them ye thynke ye have eternal lyfe. 1664 J. Exton Marit. Dicaeol. Ded. a iij b, Having some time since in those sad and distracted times, bestowed some labour in searching and perusing..the Records. 1769 Burke Late St. Nat. Wks. II. 52, I have been at the trouble to search the Journals in the period between the two last wars. 1963 in H. W. Baade Jurimetrics 13 Western Reserve University established a Center..which has been engaged..in the investigation of methods of searching literature by electronic machines. |
| γ 1563 Winȝet tr. Vincent. Lirin. iii. Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 20 Than sall he do diligence to inquire and serce the sentences of our forefatheris conferrit amang thame selfis. |
5. a. With immaterial object: To investigate, make oneself thoroughly acquainted with; to examine rigorously (one's own heart, thoughts, etc.); to examine, penetrate the secrets of (another's mind or thoughts). Also with
out.
The phrase
search and sift, common in the 16–17th c., perhaps indicates confusion with
searce v.
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. §38 The sciences and the Iuggementz of oure lord god almyghty been ful depe, ther may no man comprehende ne serchen hem suffisantly. c 1400 Sege Jerus. (E.E.T.S.) 339 Þe cite haþ [vs] sent to serche ȝour wille, To here þe cause of ȝour comyng, [& what] ȝe coueyte wolde. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cxxxix. 1 O Lorde, thou searchest me out, and knowest me. 1579 Hake Newes out of Powles To Rdr. (1872) A iv. b, To searche and syfte owte the..deceytes that the lewde sorte of this people..doe vse to gette money with. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 12 Search out thy wit for secret pollicies, And we will make thee famous through the World. 1663 Bp. Nicholson Catechism 58 For hee will try, sift, search all things, and without flattery or favour proceed according to every mans works. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 690 Receits abound; but searching all thy Store, The best is still at hand, to launch the Sore: And cut the Head. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. iii. iii. 34 And we will search,..For hidden thoughts,..Our unexhausted spirits. 1842 Manning Serm. xx. (1848) I. 295 We feel as if we saw the tokens of His presence..coming and going in an awful way, as if to gaze upon us, and search out our very thoughts. |
b. Of an impersonal agency: To test, reveal the nature of.
| 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 2 The wit is searched by the outward quality or condition of a man. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Custom Country ii. i, Prosperity does search a Gentleman's temper, More than his adverse fortune. 1818 Shelley Rosalind 257 For scorn whose arrows search the heart, From many a stranger's eye would dart. |
6. To look scrutinizingly at.
| 1811 Sir A. Boswell Clan-Alpin's Vow ii. 33 Fierce Malcolm watched the passing scene, And searched them through with glances keen. 1861 O. W. Holmes Agnes ii. 85 He searched her features through and through. 1867 A. J. Wilson Vashti xxxi, While he drank, his eyes searched her face, and lingered admiringly on her beautiful hand. |
† 7. to search up: to dig up (the soil).
Obs.| c 1400 Destr. Troy. 1534 Sone he raght vpon rowme, rid vp þe dykis Serchit vp the soile þere þe Citie was. |
† 8. To probe (a wound).
Obs.| a 1400–50 Alexander 3132 To serche þaire saluys & þar saris with surgens noble. c 1450 Merlin xxxii. 664 And the wounded lete hem be ledde to townes, and serched theire sores. 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. ii. iii. 262 Now to the bottome dost thou search my wound. a 1625 Fletcher Valentinian i. iii, You search the sore too deep. a 1631 Donne Poems (1633) 150 So..nice in searching wounds the Surgeon is. 1687 Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To search a Wound, sonder une Plaie. |
9. Of wind, cold, fire-arms, etc.: To penetrate, reach the weak places of.
| 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. 7271 For Achilles, sturdy as a wal, Gan cerche scheltrouns & her rengis brake. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. cix. viii, Oile through flesh doth search the hidden bone. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. Wks. 1904 II. 315 They basted him with a mixture of Aqua fortis, [etc.]..which..searcht him to the marrowe. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 36 But now perhaps being searcht to the quicke [etc.]. 1822 Byron Werner i. i. 723 The ice-wind..Searching the shivering vassal through his rags. 1829 Napier Penins. War ix. ii. II. 394 The guns of the first corps..were enabled..to search the whole of the British line to the left. |
† 10. To examine in order to ascertain the character or dispositions of.
Obs. rare.
| 1476 Order of Council in York Myst. Introd. 37, iiij of the most connynge..to serche here, and examen all þe plaiers and plaies and pagentes. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 56 These [men of warre] used to send out in lesser boates some bodies of men, to search the Barkes, whether they be friends or not. |
II. 11. a. To look for or seek diligently, to try to find. Now only with
out exc. (
rarely)
poet.| α 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 334 Sir Eymer had no drede, he serchid þam alle oute. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. iv. 202 He sente oute letteris on-to euery Iustice To serche the cristene, to hange hem and to drawe. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 36 We shall followe the and goo wyth the and serche our auentures in other landes. Ibid. 219 Perseus gaf hym [the monster] many woundes, serchyng his herte. And at laste he fonde hit. c 1500 Melusine 330 And thenne geffray cerched the keyes so longe tyl he fonde them. 1562 A. Brooke Romeus & Iuliet 164 Yong damsels thether flocke, of bachelers a rowte, Not so much for the banquets sake, as bewties to searche out. 1608 Acc. Exch., King's Rem. 533/11 Item for Cherching moles in lyttle parke ij s. vj d. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. v. v. 11 He hath bin search'd among the dead & liuing; But no trace of him. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. vi, These [Bishops] were searched and sought out through the whole Nation..among such of the Priesthood as were [etc.]. 1820 Shelley Hymn Merc. xciv, Whilst they [the Fates] search out dooms, They sit apart and feed on honeycombs. 1842 Tennyson Day-Dream L'Envoi iii, My fancy, ranging thro' and thro', To search a meaning for the song. 1887 Weekly Times 25 Feb. 8/1 His primary object is to search out the truth. |
| β c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. 1803 It is but foly to spende ony labour Swiche preuy thingis for to serge and seeke. 1464 Paston Lett. II. 159 If it schuld be scergyd in the regester it wold take a fortenyght werk. |
| γ c 1440 York Myst. xxxii. 275, I schall sers hym my selffe sen þou has hym solde. 1516–17 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. V. 98 To Eicht, messinger, to ryd agane to Coldinghame, Duns, and Laudar, to cers and sek George Howme with souerties undir payne of hornyng. a 1586 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxvii. 59 It is bot slychtis ȝe haue seirsit, To cloik þe crafte quhairto ȝe ar Inclynd. |
† b. To seek to discover. Chiefly with indirect question as object. Also with
out.
Obs.| α c 1450 in Aungier Syon (1840) 257 If any..besyly and curyously serche what other sustres or brethren speke betwene themselfe. 1538 Starkey England i. i. 25 Fyrst therfor..we wyl serche out, as nere as we can, what ys the veray and true commyn wele. 1571 Digges Pantom. Z j, Octaedrons side giuen, to searche his superficiall and solide contente. Ibid. Cc j b, Octaedrons side giuen, to searche out all his conteyned bodies, sides, diameters and axes. 1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair Induct., Any State-decipherer,..so solemnly ridiculous, as to search out, who was meant by the Ginger-bread-woman, who by the Hobby-horse-man [etc.]. 1644 Milton Educ. 1 To search what many modern Ianua's and Didactics more then ever I shall read, have projected, my inclination leads me not. |
| β 1513 Douglas æneis i. vi. 5 To sers and knaw To quhat kin coistis he with the wind was blaw. 1544 Aberd. Reg. (1844) I. 199 Item, the consell ordanis the maisteris of artilzery to pas with the mayster of kirkwark, and serss quhar ony irn may be gottin pertening the kyrk. |
III. Absolute and intransitive uses.
[The difference between the sense of branch I and that of branch II vanishes when the
vb. is used
absol.]
12. To make a search. Const.
after,
for,
into.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13679 Þey serched ouer al vp & doun Til þey seye his gonfanoun. c 1450 Merlin xxiii. 423 Bot euer Grisandols serched thourgh the forestes, oon hour foreward, another bakke. 1535 Coverdale Job viii. 8 Enquere of them that haue bene before the, search diligently amonge thy forefathers. 1654 Evelyn Diary 9 July, Advising the Students to search after true wisdome. 1702 Addison Medals i, He never thinks of the beauty of the thought or language, but is for searching into what he calls the Erudition of the Author. 1703 Pope Thebais 8 Cadmus searching round the spacious sea. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 101 At the latter end of March..come over a troop of their spies or harbingers, that stay two or three days, as it were to view and search out for their former situations. 1822 Shelley tr. Calderon's Mag. Prodig. i. 57 Search even as thou wilt, But thou shalt never find what I can hide. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. vii. iv, To see so many Judiths..rushing out to search into the root of the matter! |
† 13. To devise means (
to do something).
Obs.| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 268 Now gos Turbeuile, & serchis day bi day, To do þe kyng a gile. c 1400 Destr. Troy 11193 Antenor & Eneas, with þaire avne sons, Serchid by hom-seluyn in sauyng hor lyues. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxvi. 229 He saw wel his brother serched all that he coude to fall at debate with hym. 1567 Gude & Godlie Ball. 100 Thair counsell is to seirche and to Inquyre, The Innocent with wrang for till accuse. |
IV. 14. In special combs. with other
vbs. forming verbal and substantival phrases (
freq. used
attrib.), as
search and destroy (
orig. U.S.), designating an uncompromising military strategy effected by the advance of troops through a given territory (first employed in the war in Vietnam); also
ellipt.;
search and rescue (
orig. U.S.), designating a (chiefly
Mil.) land or sea rescue service.
| 1966 Economist 22 Oct. 369/3 This is a different use of men from the highly mobile ‘search and destroy’ operations in which the American forces have been engaged up to now. 1970 [see Green Beret s.v. green a. 13]. 1973 D. Lees Rape of Quiet Town iv. 57 Sarrat's unit conducted search-and-destroy missions. 1977 ‘E. McBain’ Long Time no See xiii. 222, I was out there on a search-and-destroy. |
| 1944 Yank 2 June 3/2 At last somebody thought of the Siberian Huskies assigned to a nearby Army search and rescue outfit. 1950 Jrnl. R. United Service Inst. XCV. 158 (heading) ‘Search and rescue’ radio watch. 1972 Gloss. Aeronaut. & Astronaut. Terms (B.S.I.) xiii. 3 Search and rescue, a service provided to notify the appropriate organizations of aircraft in need of search-and-rescue aid and to assist such organizations. 1977 R.A.F. News 11–24 May 9 (Advt.), Winching a capsized yachts⁓man to safety on board a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue Wessex. |
▪ III. search variant of
searce n. and v.