Ransack

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ransack \Ran"sack\ (r[a^]n"s[a^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Ransacked} (-s[a^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Ransacking}.] [OE.
     ransaken, Icel. rannsaka to explore, examine; rann a house
     (akin to Goth. razn house, AS. r[ae]sn plank, beam) + the
     root of s[ae]kja 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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              To ransack every corner of their . . . hearts.
                                                    --South.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To plunder; to pillage completely.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Their vow is made
              To ransack Troy.                      --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To violate; to ravish; to defiour. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Rich spoil of ransacked chastity.     --Spenser.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ransack \Ran"sack\, v. i.
     To make a thorough search.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           To ransack in the tas [heap] of bodies dead. --Chaucer.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Ransack \Ran"sack\, n.
     The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage.
     [R.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Even your father's house
           Shall not be free from ransack.          --J. Webster.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  ransack
       v 1: steal goods; take as spoils; "During the earthquake people
            looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
            [syn: {plunder}, {despoil}, {loot}, {reave}, {strip}, {rifle},
             {pillage}, {foray}]
       2: search thoroughly; "They combed the area for the missing
          child" [syn: {comb}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  48 Moby Thesaurus words for "ransack":
     beat, burglarize, burgle, comb, depredate, despoil, examine,
     explore, fleece, forage, foray, freeboot, grub, gut, knock off,
     knock over, look all over, look everywhere, loot, maraud, pillage,
     plunder, prey on, raid, rake, ravage, raven, ravish, reive,
     relieve, rifle, rob, rummage, sack, scour, scrutinize, search,
     search high heaven, shake, shake down, spoil, spoliate, stick up,
     strip, sweep, toss, turn inside out, turn upside down