root
1
[ root, roo t ]
/ rut, rʊt /
noun
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to become fixed or established.
Digital Technology.
to manipulate the operating system of a smartphone, tablet, etc.
Compare jailbreak(def 4).
Idioms for root
- to send out roots; begin to grow.
- to become fixed or established: The prejudices of parents usually take root in their children.
root and branch,
utterly; entirely: to destroy something root and branch.
take root,
Origin of root
1OTHER WORDS FROM root
root·like, adjectiveWords nearby root
Example sentences from the Web for root-and-branch
British Dictionary definitions for root-and-branch (1 of 4)
root-and-branch
adjective
on a large scale or without discrimination; wholesale
root-and-branch reforms
adverb root and branch
entirely; completely; utterly
Brazil needs reform root and branch
British Dictionary definitions for root-and-branch (2 of 4)
root
1
/ (ruːt) /
noun
verb
Derived forms of root
rooter, noun rootlike, adjective rooty, adjective rootiness, nounWord Origin for root
Old English
rōt, from Old Norse; related to Old English
wyrt
wort
British Dictionary definitions for root-and-branch (3 of 4)
root
2
/ (ruːt) /
verb (intr)
(of a pig) to burrow in or dig up the earth in search of food, using the snout
(foll by about, around, in etc) informal
to search vigorously but unsystematically
Derived forms of root
rooter, nounWord Origin for root
C16: changed (through influence of
root
1) from earlier
wroot, from Old English
wrōtan; related to Old English
wrōt snout, Middle Dutch
wrōte mole
British Dictionary definitions for root-and-branch (4 of 4)
root
3
verb
(intr usually foll by for) informal
to give support to (a contestant, team, etc), as by cheering
Derived forms of root
rooter, nounWord Origin for root
C19: perhaps a variant of Scottish
rout to make a loud noise, from Old Norse
rauta to roar
Medical definitions for root-and-branch
root
[ rōōt, rut ]
n.
The embedded part of an organ or structure, such as a hair, tooth, or nerve, serving as a base or support.
A primary source; an origin; radix.
Scientific definitions for root-and-branch
root
[ rōōt, rut ]
A plant part that usually grows underground, secures the plant in place, absorbs minerals and water, and stores food manufactured by leaves and other plant parts. Roots grow in a root system. Eudicots and magnoliids have a central, longer, and larger taproot with many narrower lateral roots branching off, while monocots have a mass of threadlike fibrous roots, which are roughly the same length and remain close to the surface of the soil. In vascular plants, roots usually consist of a central cylinder of vascular tissue, surrounded by the pericycle and endodermis, then a thick layer of cortex, and finally an outer epidermis or (in woody plants) periderm. Only finer roots (known as feeder roots) actively take up water and minerals, generally in the uppermost meter of soil. These roots absorb minerals primarily through small epidermal structures known as root hairs. In certain plants, adventitious roots grow out from the stem above ground as aerial roots or prop roots, bending down into the soil, to facilitate the exchange of gases or increase support. Certain plants (such as the carrot and beet) have fleshy storage roots with abundant parenchyma in their vascular tissues. See also fibrous root taproot.
Any of various other plant parts that grow underground, especially an underground stem such as a corm, rhizome, or tuber.
The part of a tooth that is embedded in the jaw and not covered by enamel.
Mathematics
- A number that, when multiplied by itself a given number of times, produces a specified number. For example, since 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 = 16, 2 is a fourth root of 16.
- A solution to an equation. For example, a root of the equation x2 - 4 = 0 is 2, since 22 - 4 = 0.
Cultural definitions for root-and-branch (1 of 2)
root
In biology, the part of a plant that grows downward and holds the plant in place, absorbs water and minerals from the soil, and often stores food. The main root of a plant is called the primary root; others are called secondary roots. The hard tip is called the root cap, which protects the growing cells behind it. Root hairs increase the root's absorbing surface.
Cultural definitions for root-and-branch (2 of 2)
Idioms and Phrases with root-and-branch
root