- search
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 an attempt to find sb/sthADJECTIVE▪ exhaustive, extensive, painstaking, systematic, thorough▪ major, massive, nationwide▪ desperate, frantic▪ constant▪ random▪
random security searches
▪ fruitless, futile▪ ongoing▪ routine▪Police conducted a routine search of all the houses in the area.
▪ illegal, warrantless (both AmE)▪The President could order warrantless searches for national security purposes.
▪ police▪ house-to-house▪ fingertip (BrE)▪A team of police officers did a fingertip search of the area.
▪ body, strip▪I was subjected to a body search by customs officials.
VERB + SEARCH▪ begin, initiate, launch, mount, start▪The police immediately launched a nationwide search for the killer.
▪ prompt, spark, trigger (all esp. BrE)▪His disappearance prompted a week-long search.
▪ carry out, conduct, do, make▪The search for the missing men was conducted in poor weather conditions.
▪ lead▪Inspector Binns is leading the search for the stolen paintings.
▪ continue▪ abandon, call off▪The search was called off when it began to get dark.
▪ resume▪ narrow, widenSEARCH + NOUN▪ operation▪The police mounted an extensive search operation.
▪ area (AmE)▪to narrow the search area
▪ party, team▪They sent out a search party to look for her.
▪ warrant▪ committee (AmE)▪A search committee was established to help the President find his Supreme Court nominee.
▪ firm (esp. AmE)▪an executive search firm
PREPOSITION▪ in search of▪We're constantly in search of new talent.
▪Michael went off in search of another bottle of wine.
▪ search for▪the search for oil off the coast
PHRASES▪ search and seizure (AmE)▪The Constitution forbids unreasonable searches and seizures.
2 on a computerADJECTIVE▪ quick, simple▪a quick search on the Internet
▪ computer, database, Internet, online, Web▪I did an Internet search for free music sites.
▪ advanced, keywordVERB + SEARCH▪ conduct, do, perform, run▪ narrow, refine▪You can refine a search using Boolean parameters.
SEARCH + NOUN▪ engine▪This is one of the fastest Internet search engines.
▪ box▪Type your domain name in the search box.
▪ features▪A number of advanced search features are available.
▪ technology, tool▪ query, term▪Companies try to identify the most popular search terms.
▪ results▪ companyPREPOSITION▪ search for{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verbADVERB▪ carefully, systematically, thoroughly▪The area has been thoroughly searched.
▪ actively▪actively searching for something to keep the conversation going
▪ desperately, frantically▪ fruitlessly, in vain, unsuccessfully, vainly▪ aimlessly, blindly▪For the rest of the morning he searched aimlessly through the town.
▪ constantly▪ around▪I searched around for a thick stick.
▪ online▪You can also search online for a job.
PREPOSITION▪ among▪We searched among the rocks for crabs.
▪ for▪They are still searching for the missing child.
▪ in▪He searched in his pocket and found a few coins.
▪ through▪I searched through a drawer for my passport.
PHRASES▪ search far and wide, search sth from top to bottom▪We searched the house from top to bottom.
▪ search high and low▪I have searched high and low and cannot find them.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
