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ransack. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
ransack, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
ransack in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
ransack you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka, from rann (“house”) + saka (“search”); probably influenced by sack. Compare Danish ransage, Swedish rannsaka.
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.
c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene prologue]:Their vow is made / To ransack Troy.
2019 October 30, Next Level Games, Luigi's Mansion 3, v1.4.0, Nintendo, level/area: Main Observation Room (15F: Master Suite):Hellen Gravely: 'You ransacked my hotel, captured my staff with that strange vacuum of yours... And to top it all off, you catnapped my sweetie, my little darling... My precious Polterkitty!'
- (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
1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, 6th edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: J Bettenham, for Jonah Bowyer, , published 1727, →OCLC: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- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- To violate; to ravish; to deflower.
Translations
to make a thorough search or examination for plunder
Noun
ransack (plural ransacks)
- Eager search.
1861, The Eclectic Magazine of Foreign Literature, Science, and Art:Perhaps this stone also will turn up in the ransack of the sultan's treasury.
Anagrams