Definitions
01to look for something
A2 · Elementary
v. to look through a place or an area very carefully to find something.
v. to examine a place, person, or object thoroughly in order to find something concealed or lost.
“The police searched the entire house but they could not find the stolen jewelry.”
“Customs officers searched the cargo container thoroughly, looking for any signs of undeclared goods or prohibited items.”
Pitfall
I searched my keys everywhere.
I searched for my keys everywhere.
You search a place (the room), but you search FOR an object (the keys).
02to use the internet
A2 · Elementary Computing
v. to look for information on the internet using a computer or phone.
v. to use a search engine or database to retrieve specific information.
“I searched the web for a good Italian restaurant near the hotel.”
“She searched the online archives for any mention of her great-grandfather's military service during the war.”
03an attempt to find
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. an act of looking for something or someone.
n. a systematic or organized attempt to locate something or someone.
“The rescue team called off the search when it became too dark to see.”
“After a long and difficult search, the researchers finally discovered the rare plant growing deep in the valley.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “search” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English serchen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sercher, Old French cerchier, from Late Latin circō, circāre (“to circle; go around; search for”), from Latin circa, circus. Not related to German suchen, which is cognate with English seek.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The word in film
Poster: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Searchers · 1956 · Western
- Directed by:
- John Ford
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles
John Ford directs this influential Western starring John Wayne as an obsessive Civil War veteran who spends years tracking down his abducted niece across the frontier. The title describes the relentless men dedicated to a desperate, multi-year search through hostile wilderness.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/search
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0