Added 10 October 2026
ransack
/ˈɹænsæk/ verb
In Latin: pervēnor Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ransack at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.
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- To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray.
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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.
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noun
Origin
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”)).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)