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

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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

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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

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