ransack
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ransack
- /ˈɹænsæk/
- /ˈɹænˌsæk/
Sounds like RANSAC
Where it comes from
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”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
cognates
* Middle Low German rānsāken, rantsāken
* Old Danish randsage, ransage (modern Danish ransage)
* Old Swedish ransaka (modern Swedish rannsaka)
verb ransacks · ransacking · ransacked · ransack
-
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.
Similar: rifle
- 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.
-
Synonym of penetrate (“to make way into the interior of (something); to pierce”); also, synonym of pervade (“to enter and spread through (something); to permeate”).
[D]epe wͭ dynt the ſword enforced furſt / had ranſakt through his ribs ⁊ ſwete whyte breſt at once had burſt.
Similar: penetrate
- To search thoroughly, especially when leaving behind a state of disarray. Then euery chriſtian ſought amongſt vs for his frende, / His kinſman or companion ſome ſuccour them to lende: / And as they ranſackte ſo, lo God his will it was, / A noble wyſe Venetian by me did chaunce to paſſe: […]
- To search for and steal things.
Similar: ramshack, ransackle, ranshackle
noun ransacks
-
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.
Similar: ransacking
Thesaurus
verb
Similar: ramshack, ransackle, ranshackle
Translations
Every language
verb 1.1. (''transitive'') to search thoroughly
| Español | revolver |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 洗劫 xǐjié |
| Français | fouiller |
| Deutsch | durchwühlen |
| Italiano | rovistare |
verb 2.2. (intransitive) to search for and steal
| Español | arramblar [with con], arramplar [with con] |
|---|
verb 1.2. (''transitive'') to search in order to steal
| Español | arramblar, arramplar |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 掠夺 lüèduó |
| Français | mettre à sac, saccager |
| Deutsch | plündern |
| Italiano | saccheggiare |
| Română | prăda |
Talk about this word "ransack." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ransack. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ransack. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ransack "ransack." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ransack.Cite this
@misc{ransack_2026,
title = {ransack},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ransack},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
