ransack
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English ransaken, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse rannsaka, from rann (“house”) + saka (“search”); probably influenced by sack
Pronunciation
Verb
ransack (third-person singular simple present ransacks, present participle ransacking, simple past and past participle ransacked)
- (transitive) To loot or pillage. See also sack.
- William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
- Their vow is made / To ransack Troy.
- William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616)
- (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.
- to ransack a house for valuables
- Robert South (1634–1716)
- to ransack every corner of their […] hearts
- (archaic) To examine carefully; to investigate.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xiij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XIII::
- Thenne came there an olde monke whiche somtyme had ben a knyghte & behelde syre Melyas / And anone he ransakyd hym / & thenne he saide vnto syr Galahad I shal hele hym of this woūde by the grace of god within the terme of seuen wekes
- To violate; to ravish; to deflower.
- Edmund Spenser (c.1552–1599)
- Rich spoil of ransacked chastity.
- Edmund Spenser (c.1552–1599)
Translations
to loot or pillage
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to make a thorough search or examination for plunder
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Noun
ransack
- Eager search.
Anagrams
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