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Definition of Ransack
1. Verb. Steal goods; take as spoils. "During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
Generic synonyms: Take
Specialized synonyms: Deplume, Displume
Derivative terms: Despoiler, Despoilment, Despoliation, Loot, Looter, Looting, Pillage, Pillager, Pillaging, Plunder, Plunderer, Plundering
2. Verb. Search thoroughly. "The customs agents ransack the bags for drugs "; "They combed the area for the missing child"
Definition of Ransack
1. v. t. To search thoroughly; to search every place or part of; as, to ransack a house.
2. v. i. To make a thorough search.
3. n. The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage.
Definition of Ransack
1. Verb. (transitive) To loot or pillage. ''See also'' '''sack'''. ¹
2. Verb. (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. ¹
3. Verb. (archaic) To examine carefully; to investigate. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Ransack
1. to search thoroughly [v -ED, -ING, -S]
Medical Definition of Ransack
1. 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. "Rich spoil of ransacked chastity." (Spenser) Origin: OE. Ransaken, Icel, rannsaka to explore, examine; rann a house (akin to Goth. Razn house, AS. Raesn plank, beam) + the root of saekja to seek, akin to E. Seek. See Seek, and cf. Rest repose. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)
Lexicographical Neighbors of Ransack
Literary usage of Ransack
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. A Dictionary of English Etymology by Hensleigh Wedgwood, John Christopher Atkinson (1872)
"ransack their filaments. Die gurken ranken auf der erde fort, ... To ransack.
ON. rannsaka, Sw. ran- saka, to search thoroughly, to search for stolen goods. ..."
2. The Private Journal of Aaron Burr, During His Residence of Four Years in by Aaron Burr (1838)
"They will come, however, for I will ransack all Europe for them. By Vanderlyn
will write to him. It is greatly to be feared that your dictionaries, ..."
3. Scandinavian Loan-words in Middle English by Erik Björkman (1900)
"... NE to ransack (see above); cf. 0. E. cern 'a house'. ME rennen Hav., Langl.
P. Pl., AP, Gaw. etc. (see Dictionaries) (1) strong vb. ..."
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