rummage

rummage
rummager, n.
/rum"ij/, v., rummaged, rummaging, n.
v.t.
1. to search thoroughly or actively through (a place, receptacle, etc.), esp. by moving around, turning over, or looking through contents.
2. to find, bring, or fetch by searching (often fol. by out or up).
v.i.
3. to search actively, as in a place or receptacle or within oneself: She rummaged in her mind for the forgotten name.
n.
4. miscellaneous articles; odds and ends.
5. a rummaging search.
[1520-30; aph. alter. of MF arrumage, equiv. to arrum(er) to stow goods in the hold of a ship ( < ?) + -age -AGE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Rummage — Rum mage (?; 48), n. [For roomage, fr. room; hence originally, a making room, a packing away closely. See {Room}.] 1. (Naut.) A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship; also, the act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rummage — (v.) 1520s, act of arranging cargo in a ship, aphetic of M.Fr. arrumage arrangement of cargo, from arrumer to stow goods in the hold of a ship, from a to + rumer, probably from Germanic (Cf. O.N. rum compartment in a ship, O.H.G. rum space, O.E.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Rummage — Rum mage, v. i. To search a place narrowly. [1913 Webster] I have often rummaged for old books in Little Britain and Duck Lane. Swift. [1913 Webster] [His house] was haunted with a jolly ghost, that . . . . . . rummaged like a rat. Tennyson.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Rummage — Rum mage, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rummaged}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Rummaging}.] 1. (Naut.) To make room in, as a ship, for the cargo; to move about, as packages, ballast, so as to permit close stowage; to stow closely; to pack; formerly written {roomage} …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • rummage — index delve Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • rummage — comb, ransack, search, hunt, *seek, scour, ferret out Analogous words: examine, inspect, *scrutinize …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • rummage — [v] ransack, search beat the bushes*, comb, delve, dig out, disarrange, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, examine, explore, ferret out, fish, forage, grub, hunt, jumble, leave no stone unturned*, look high and low*, mess up, mix… …   New thesaurus

  • rummage — ► VERB ▪ search unsystematically and untidily for something. ► NOUN ▪ an act of rummaging. ORIGIN originally referring to the arranging of items in the hold of a ship: from Old French arrumer stow in a hold …   English terms dictionary

  • rummage — [rum′ij] n. [aphetic < MFr arrumage < arrumer, to stow cargo in the hold < aruner, to arrange < run, rum, ship s hold < Frank * rum, akin to OE rum,ROOM] 1. miscellaneous articles; odds and ends 2. a rummaging, or thorough search… …   English World dictionary

  • rummage — [[t]rʌ̱mɪʤ[/t]] rummages, rummaging, rummaged 1) VERB If you rummage through something, you search for something you want by moving things around in a careless or hurried way. [V prep] They rummage through piles of second hand clothes for… …   English dictionary

  • rummage — I UK [ˈrʌmɪdʒ] / US verb [intransitive] Word forms rummage : present tense I/you/we/they rummage he/she/it rummages present participle rummaging past tense rummaged past participle rummaged to search for something among a lot of other things… …   English dictionary

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