RANSACK
comb, ransack
(verb) search thoroughly; “They combed the area for the missing child”
plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle, ransack, pillage, foray
(verb) steal goods; take as spoils; “During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
ransack (third-person singular simple present ransacks, present participle ransacking, simple past and past participle ransacked)
(transitive) To loot or pillage. See also sack.
(transitive) To make a vigorous and thorough search of (a place, person) with a view to stealing something, especially when leaving behind a state of disarray.
(archaic) To examine carefully; to investigate.
To violate; to ravish; to deflower.
Noun
ransack (plural ransacks)
Eager search.
Anagrams
• rackans
Source: Wiktionary
Ran"sack, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ransacked; p. pr. & vb. n. Ransacking.]
Etym: [OE. ransaken, Icel, rannsaka to explore, examine; rann a house
(akin to Goth. razn house, AS. ræsn plank, beam) + the root of sækja
to seek, akin to E. seek. See Seek, and cf. Rest repose.]
1. To search thoroughly; to search every place or part of; as, to
ransack a house.
To ransack every corner of their . . . hearts. South.
2. To plunder; to pillage completely.
Their vow is made To ransack Troy. Shak.
3. To violate; to ravish; to defiour. [Obs.]
Rich spoil of ransacked chastity. Spenser.
Ran"sack, v. i.
Definition: To make a thorough search.
To ransack in the tas [heap] of bodies dead. Chaucer.
Ran"sack, n.
Definition: The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage.
[R.]
Even your father's house Shall not be free fromransack. J. Webster.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition