search
search — verb
1. to look carefully through a place, area, or group of objects because you want to
to look carefully through a place, area, or group of objects because you want to find someone or something that is hidden or lost.
Zola searched every drawer in the kitchen for her missing keys.
search + place + for + object
The firefighters searched the burning building for anyone still trapped inside.
search + building + for + person
Talia searched through her backpack but could not find the library book.
Liang searched the whole house before realising his phone was in his coat pocket.
The rescue team searched the riverbank for signs of the missing canoe.
用法筆記
Commonly followed by 'for' when stating what you want to find. When the place is the object, use transitive form: 'search the room'. When the place is not mentioned, use intransitive: 'search for a solution'.
常見錯誤
2. to attempt to discover an explanation or solution through careful thought, quest
to attempt to discover an explanation or solution through careful thought, questioning, or study of information.
Scientists are still searching for a cure to the common cold.
search for + abstract goal (cure, solution, answer)
Rodrigo searched his memory for the name of the restaurant they had visited the year before.
The committee searched for a fair solution that would satisfy both sides.
Salma searched online forums hoping to understand why her laptop kept crashing.
Historians searched through old letters for clues about the writer's early life.
- ignore
to deliberately pay no attention to a problem
常見錯誤
3. to examine someone's body, clothes, or bags in an official way to see if they ar
to examine someone's body, clothes, or bags in an official way to see if they are hiding something illegal or forbidden.
The security guard searched every visitor before allowing them into the concert hall.
transitive: search + person (before entering)
Police officers searched the suspect thoroughly but found nothing illegal in his pockets.
At the airport, customs officials searched the woman's suitcase and found nothing unusual.
The guard searched the driver's vehicle for several minutes at the border checkpoint.
Imani felt nervous when the officer asked to search her bag at the stadium entrance.
用法筆記
This sense is used for official checks by police, security, or customs officers. For a casual look through someone's belongings, use the LOOK FOR sense instead. The person or their possessions is the direct object — no 'for' is needed.
常見錯誤
4. to enter words or phrases into a computer, website, or database in order to find
to enter words or phrases into a computer, website, or database in order to find information, images, or other content.
Putri searched online for cheap flights to Tokyo during the summer holiday.
search + online + for + target information
If you do not know a word, you can search a dictionary website to find its meaning.
Saira searched the company database for the customer's order number.
You can search for images by typing keywords into the search bar at the top.
The student searched academic journals online for articles about climate change.
用法筆記
When the thing being searched (database, website) is named directly, use the transitive form: 'search the database'. When only stating what information is wanted, use intransitive with 'for': 'search for flights'.
常見錯誤
search — noun
1. an act of looking for someone or something, especially when you do not know exac
an act of looking for someone or something, especially when you do not know exactly where they are.
The search for the missing hiker continued through the night.
the search for + person/thing sought
Zola led the search for her brother's lost wallet in the busy park.
The police called off the search after finding no evidence in the area.
A thorough search of the building revealed nothing suspicious at all.
The search for the escaped dog lasted well past midnight that evening.
用法筆記
Commonly used in phrases like 'in search of', 'search for', and 'search party'. 'A search of + place' is used when describing where the search happened.
2. the act of looking for an explanation or solution to a challenging question, oft
the act of looking for an explanation or solution to a challenging question, often involving study or investigation.
Their search for the truth about the accident took several months.
search for + abstract target (truth, answer, meaning)
The philosopher's search for the meaning of life is a timeless human question.
Brooke's search for a better job led her to move to another city far away.
The search for a peaceful solution continued despite the growing tension between the two sides.
Medical researchers are intensifying their search for new treatments for the disease.
- quest
more dramatic or literary
- pursuit
suggests continuous effort over time
- investigation
more formal and systematic
3. the action of typing words into a website, database, or app to locate content or
the action of typing words into a website, database, or app to locate content or data that you need.
A quick online search showed that the restaurant had excellent reviews.
online search + result clause
The search returned more than ten thousand results for the keyword.
search returns results; passive construction
You can narrow your search by adding more specific words to the query.
A search of the database revealed that the part was no longer in stock.
The website's search function helps users find products by category or price.
- query
more technical; used in computing contexts
- lookup
used for finding a specific piece of data in a database
- search query
refers specifically to the words you type into a search engine
用法筆記
Often combined with 'online', 'internet', or 'web' as modifiers. 'Search results' is a common compound noun when talking about what the computer shows.
4. the activity or process of looking for something, especially when it takes time,
the activity or process of looking for something, especially when it takes time, effort, or careful attention.
The children's search for hidden treasure kept them busy all afternoon.
search for + concrete target + result
After hours of careful search, the team finally found the rare fossil in the cliff face.
The search for a new apartment took longer than Darius had expected.
Their search for the perfect wedding venue lasted nearly six months.
The search for the missing documents required looking through every cabinet in the office.
用法筆記
This sense refers to the abstract concept or duration of searching rather than a specific instance. Often used with 'the search for + [target]' to describe the general effort involved.