ransack

/ˈɹænsæk/

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English ransaken (“to examine, investigate; to rob, plunder, steal; to search, seek; to treat roughly, mistreat”), from Old Norse rannsaka (“to search a house (especially for stolen goods)”), from rann (“house”) (from Proto-Germanic *razną (“dwelling, house”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁- (“to rest; quiet”)) + saka, an ablaut variant of sœkja, sǿkja (“to look for, search, seek”) (from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to look for, seek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- (“to follow; to seek out, trace”)). Verb senses 1.2 (“to search (someone, or a place) thoroughly in order to steal something”), 1.3 (“to search for and steal (something) as plunder”), and 2.2 (“to search for and steal things”) are probably influenced by sack (“to pillage, to plunder

ransack means synonym of ransacking (“an act of ransacking (“searching thoroughly (in order to steal); etc.”) someone or something; an eager search”). Lexicurio rates it Distinctive — a strength score of 69 out of 100.

noun

Synonym of ransacking (“an act of ransacking (“searching thoroughly (in order to steal); etc.”) someone or something; an eager search”).“And euermore their vvicked Capitayn / Prouoked them the breaches to aſſay, / Somtimes vvith threats, ſomtimes vvith hope of gayn, / VVhich by the ranſack of that peece they ſhould attayn.”

verb

To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.“What a ſorowe hath it been to ſome of vs when the deuils hath in deſpightfull mockage, caſt in our teeth our olde loue borne to our money, and then ſhewed vs our executours as buſily ryfling ⁊ ranſaking our houſes as though they wer men of warre that had taken a towne by force.”
To search (someone or a place) thoroughly in order to steal something, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray; hence, to rob (someone or a place); to plunder.“to ransack a house for valuables”
To search for and steal (something) as plunder.“VVith greedy force he gan the fort aſſayle, / VVhereof he vveend poſſeſſe ſoone to bee, / And vvin rich ſpoile of ranſackt chaſtitee.”
To examine (someone or something) carefully; to investigate; also, to question (someone) thoroughly; to interrogate.“[…] I purpoſe not in any open engliſh booke to ranſake and rebuke eyther the tone [the one] lawe, or the tother: I ſhall let him with that matter alone.”
To look for or seek out (someone).“I'le call ye to Accompt, and if ye bauke me, then / I ranſake ye out, and make ye underſtand / The ſharp-nail'd language of Quiſquilla's hand.”
To search (someone) for a thing.