ransack
Americanverb (used with object)
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to search thoroughly or vigorously through (a house, receptacle, etc.).
They ransacked the house for the missing letter.
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to search through for plunder; pillage.
The enemy ransacked the entire town.
verb
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to search through every part of (a house, box, etc); examine thoroughly
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to plunder; pillage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ransack
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka “to search, examine (for evidence of crime),” equivalent to rann “house” + saka, variant of sœkja “to search;” see seek)
Explanation
When you ransack, you rifle through things, steal some of them, and leave a huge mess behind. If neighborhood dogs got into a cupcake shop, they would probably ransack it. You can use the verb ransack to describe a careful search — you might ransack your backpack looking for your car keys, for example. Marauding armies, feral cats, burglars, and other troublemakers are often described as ransacking towns, rooms, gardens, or shops, especially if they take things and leave disarray in their wake. The word ransack comes from the Old Norse rannsaka, which has a similar meaning but is literally "search the house."
Vocabulary lists containing ransack
The Diary of Anne Frank
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"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry
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English Words Derived from Old Norse
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ransack the English language for words to do this justice.
From Washington Post • Nov. 1, 2016
Ransack, ran′sak, v.t. to search thoroughly: to plunder: to pillage.—n. eager search.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Ransack the old records of all past times and places in thy memory; canst thou not there find out some better way of trampling?
From Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft by Scott, Walter, Sir
Ransack air, earth, and water and not one palpable exception ever has been, ever can be adduced.
From The Illustrated Self-Instructor in Phrenology and Physiology by Fowler, L. N.
Mr. Ransack, I've got better uses for my money.
From The Sins of Séverac Bablon by Rohmer, Sax
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
