ransacking
present participle ofransack
ransack
verb[T]
uk/ˈræn.sæk/us/ˈræn.sæk/tosearchaplaceorcontainerin aviolentandcarelessway:
Theburglarsransacked thehousebutfoundnothingvaluable.
I ransacked thecupboardformyskiboots.
to search for something
- searchI've searched everywhere and can't find my passport.
- lookShe was looking in her handbag for a pen.
- huntI've hunted all over the place but I can't find that book.
- rummageHe rummaged through his pockets, looking for his keys.
- ferret outThe inspector general has broad powers to ferret out fraud on the state and local level.
- combPolice combed the area for evidence.
Searching
- -seeking
- beachcomb
- beachcomber
- beachcombing
- body search
- bounty hunter
- divine
- keepyour/aneye out forsomeone/somethingidiom
- leave no stone unturnedidiom
- manhunt
- mudlark
- mudlarking
- nose
- scout
- scratch
- seeksomeone/somethingout
- seeker
- shake
- shakesomeonedown
- shakedown
Examplesofransacking
ransacking
In English, many past and present participles of verbs can be used as adjectives. Some of these examples may show the adjective use.
Choice may be made byransackingobserved or generated sounds, which may have been made randomly or systematically.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Clark paints that new academic world in mordant terms,ransackinguniversity archives for appointment intrigues, visitation reports, secret evaluations, the margin-scribbling of ministers and underlings, and the self-presentations of office-seekers.
From theCambridge English Corpus
We do not base our proposal upon legal construction or upon theransackingof historical dust-heaps.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There are complaints of harassment by soldiers and theransackingof empty houses.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They may demand theransackingof the books from beginning to end, and go into the whole business.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It seems strange to me that we should differentiate between one type of break-in,ransackingand seizure, and another.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There wasransackingof drawers, wardrobes and so forth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The destruction frequently includedransackingthe priest's house, and sometimes private houses suspected of sheltering church goods.
From
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.After breaking the glass panes, the mob entered the officesransackingand destroying everything inside.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.It also claims that looting of the villagers' property andransackingof the entire villages happened during this period.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.It was initially triggered by rising oil prices, with an angry mobransackingand setting many buildings on fire, particularly banks and official government buildings.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.Looters took advantage of the floods byransackingabandoned homes using boats.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.Connauton eventually convinced them that the ship was not carrying $4,000 and, offering $45 instead, the pirates released his wife and beganransackingthe cabin.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.An estimated $202,000 worth of antiques were carefully stolen withoutransackingor leaving a sign of forced entry.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.These armed ruffians started to terrorize the village,ransackingand putting fire to the thatched huts.
FromThis example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
- registry-office
- regnant
- regolith
- regress
- regressed
- regressing
- regression
- regression analysis
- regression-analysis
- regression approach
- regression approach
- regression coefficient
- regression equation
- regression line
- regression model
- regression model
- regression modelling
- regression technique
- regression technique
- regressive
- regressive tax
- regressive-tax
- regressive taxation
- regret
- regretful