dragnet

/ˈdɹæɡˌnɛt/

dragnet means A net dragged across the bottom of a body of water.

dragnet is pronounced /ˈdɹæɡˌnɛt/.

Etymology

From drag + net, probably based on the model of Middle English draynet, dreynett (“dragnet”), Old English dræġnet, dræġnett (“dragnet”), equivalent to dray + net. Cognate with Swedish dragnät, Norwegian dragnett, from Icelandic dragnet.

noun

A net dragged across the bottom of a body of water.
A heightened effort by law enforcement personnel undertaken in order to capture suspects.

verb

To drag a net across the bottom of a body of water.e.g.“When ponds are cleaned out periodically, fish are trapped or dragnetted and finally the pond is drained to remove all fish.” — 2013, Brian Andrews, Ornamental Fish Farming:
To undertake a heightened effort to catch a suspect.

Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Words closest in meaning

By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.

dredge 69% match — Any instrument used to gather or take by dragging; as:; A dragnet for taking up oysters, etc., from their beds. vs dragnet →
dragman 69% match — A fisherman who uses a dragnet. vs dragnet →
dropnet 69% match — A fishing net suspended from a boom, to be suddenly dropped on a passing shoal of fish. vs dragnet →
fishnet 63% match — A net used to catch fish. vs dragnet →
drail 62% match — A hook with a lead shank. vs dragnet →
trawler 62% match — A fishing boat that uses a trawl net or dragnet to catch fish. vs dragnet →
driftnet 61% match — To fish using a drift net vs dragnet →
drawnet 61% match — A net for catching the larger sorts of birds. vs dragnet →