verb
root
To search by digging or rummaging.
She roots through the kitchen drawer for a bottle opener.
Etymology
The older verb means to root or grub with the snout. It broadened from animals digging for food to people searching by digging or rummaging.
More examples
- The pigs root in the soil for food.
- We rooted around in the closet for our boots.
- He is rooting through his bag for his keys.
Forms
root · roots · rooted · rooting
Similar words
- rummage
- Emphasizes searching through a cluttered space by moving things.
- forage
- Usually means searching for food rather than other objects.