searching

[ sur-ching ]

/ ˈsɜr tʃɪŋ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR searching ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

examining carefully or thoroughly: a searching inspection.

acutely observant or penetrating: a searching glance; a searching mind.

piercing or sharp: a searching wind.

Origin of searching

First recorded in 1570–80; search + -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM searching

search·ing·ly, adverb search·ing·ness, noun self-search·ing, adjective, noun un·search·ing, adjective

un·search·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby searching

search order, search party, search term, search warrant, searcher, searching, searchless, searchlight, searcy, searle, sears

Definition for searching (2 of 2)

[ surch ]

/ sɜrtʃ /

verb (used with object)

to go or look through (a place, area, etc.) carefully in order to find something missing or lost: They searched the woods for the missing child. I searched the desk for the letter.

to look at or examine (a person, object, etc.) carefully in order to find something concealed: He searched the vase for signs of a crack. The police searched the suspect for weapons.

to explore or examine in order to discover: They searched the hills for gold.

to look at, read, or examine (a record, writing, collection, repository, etc.) for information: to search a property title; He searched the courthouse for a record of the deed to the land.

to look at or beneath the superficial aspects of to discover a motive, reaction, feeling, basic truth, etc.: He searched her face for a clue to her true feelings.

to look into, question, or scrutinize: She searched her conscience.

(of natural elements) to pierce or penetrate: The sunlight searched the room's dark corners.

to uncover or find by examination or exploration (often followed by out): to search out all the facts.

Military. to fire artillery over (an area) with successive changes in gun elevation.

Computers. to electronically retrieve data, Web pages, database records, or other information from (files, databases, etc.) by typing relevant terms into a search engine or other search tool: Most of us have searched the Internet for medical advice.

verb (used without object)

to inquire, investigate, examine, or seek; conduct an examination or investigation.

noun

the act of searching; careful examination or investigation: Her date with the guy she met online went badly, so her search for “Mr. Right” continues.
an instance of this: Did the search turn up any clues?

the practice, on the part of naval officers of a belligerent nation, of boarding and examining a suspected neutral vessel at sea in order to ascertain its true nationality and determine if it is carrying contraband: the right of visit and search.

Computers. the act or process of electronically retrieving data, Web pages, database records, or other information from files, databases, etc., as in Boolean search; keyword search: A search of the article turned up two references to my company.

Origin of search

1300–50; (v.) Middle English serchen, cerchen (< Anglo-French sercher) < Old French cerchier < Late Latin circāre to go around, derivative of Latin circus circle; (noun) Middle English serche < Anglo-French serche, Old French cerche, derivative of cerchier

SYNONYMS FOR search

1 investigate.

2 inspect.

12 inspection, scrutiny.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR search ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM search

search·a·ble, adjective search·a·ble·ness, noun search·er, noun out·search, verb (used with object)

pre·search, noun, verb (used with object) un·der·search, noun un·searched, adjective well-searched, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for searching

The FBI has also been searching its records for any information that could assist the French investigation, a spokesperson added.

U.S. Spies See Al Qaeda Fingerprints on Paris Massacre |Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
He tried this and tried that—he was just searching and searching.

Alleged Cop Killer’s Blood-Soaked Screenplay |M.L. Nestel |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
After a searching beat, Drew adds, “And that was the last fight we had.”

How the Property Brothers Became Your Mom’s Favorite TV Stars |Kevin Fallon |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I was lost, fresh back from Vietnam, searching, maybe, for a peril the equivalent of war but aimed in the direction of life.

What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear |Doug Peacock |November 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Pro-pipeline Democrats, meanwhile, appeared to be searching desperately for ways to turn a crushing defeat into a moral victory.

Keystone Senate Failure Is Environmental Kabuki Theater |Ben Jacobs |November 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He met that searching gaze as inscrutably as he had learned to endure the scrutiny of his opponent at the poker table.

The Heart of Canyon Pass |Thomas K. Holmes
The gaze bent upon the boy was searching and distinctly hostile.

In the Days of Chivalry |Evelyn Everett-Green
The birds were fled while we were searching for their nest in some secret corner of Venice.

Mohawks, Volume 2 of 3 |Mary Elizabeth Braddon
While they were searching, the porcupine ambled away and was soon lost in the darkness.

Bill Bruce on Forest Patrol |Henry Harley Arnold
Under his searching gaze her face grew pale and ghastly as that upon the couch.

At the Time Appointed |A. Maynard Barbour

British Dictionary definitions for searching (1 of 2)

searching

/ (ˈsɜːtʃɪŋ) /

adjective

keenly penetrating a searching look

Derived forms of searching

searchingly, adverb searchingness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for searching (2 of 2)

/ (sɜːtʃ) /

verb

to look through (a place, records, etc) thoroughly in order to find someone or something

(tr) to examine (a person) for concealed objects by running one's hands over the clothing

to look at or examine (something) closely to search one's conscience

(tr foll by out) to discover by investigation

surgery

to explore (a bodily cavity) during a surgical procedure
to probe (a wound)

(tr) military to fire all over (an area)

computing to review (a file) to locate specific information

archaic to penetrate

search me informal I don't know

noun

the act or an instance of searching

the examination of a vessel by the right of search

computing

a review of a file to locate specific information
(as modifier)a search routine

right of search international law the right possessed by the warships of a belligerent state in time of war to board and search merchant vessels to ascertain whether ship or cargo is liable to seizure

Derived forms of search

searchable, adjective searcher, noun

Word Origin for search

C14: from Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circāre to go around, from Latin circus circle

Idioms and Phrases with searching

In addition to the idiom beginning with search

search me

also see:

high and low, search
in search of

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

searching

adjective

Origin of searching

OTHER WORDS FROM searching

Words nearby searching

Definition for searching (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of search

SYNONYMS FOR search

OTHER WORDS FROM search

Example sentences from the Web for searching

British Dictionary definitions for searching (1 of 2)

adjective

Derived forms of searching

British Dictionary definitions for searching (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of search

Word Origin for search

Idioms and Phrases with searching

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

searching

adjective

Origin of searching

OTHER WORDS FROM searching

Words nearby searching

Definition for searching (2 of 2)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of search

SYNONYMS FOR search

OTHER WORDS FROM search

Words related to searching

Example sentences from the Web for searching

British Dictionary definitions for searching (1 of 2)

adjective

Derived forms of searching

British Dictionary definitions for searching (2 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of search

Word Origin for search

Idioms and Phrases with searching