ransack
Definition
Meaning: Ransack (verb) means to search a place or container thoroughly, often in a hurried or violent way, leaving it in disarray, typically with the intent to steal or find something specific.
La signification : Ransack (verbe) signifie fouiller un lieu ou un contenant de manière approfondie, souvent de façon précipitée ou violente, le laissant en désordre, généralement avec l'intention de voler ou de trouver quelque chose de précis.
Example: "The burglars ransacked the house, looking for valuables."
Grammar: Transitive verb. Requires a direct object (e.g., a place or thing being searched). Commonly used in crime, historical, or chaotic contexts.
Quote: "They ransacked the village, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake." [Historical Novel]
N.B.: "Ransack" implies a destructive or careless search, often associated with looting or theft. In French, it can be rendered as "piller," "fouiller de fond en comble," or "mettre à sac."
Word Analysis
Français »» Piller »» Fouiller de fond en comble »» Mettre à sac Ⓐ Les voleurs ont pillé la maison à la recherche de bijoux. Ⓑ Les envahisseurs ont mis le village à sac, laissant tout en désordre. English »» Plunder »» Rummage violently »» Loot Ⓐ The pirates ransacked the ship for treasure. Ⓑ Thieves ransacked the store, scattering goods everywhere.
Dialogue
Emma: "Did you hear about the break-in at the museum?"
Liam: "Yeah, they ransacked the exhibit looking for rare artifacts."
Emma: "What a mess! Did they find anything valuable?"
Liam: "Not sure, but the place is completely trashed now."
Poem Extract
Vesper Sparrows [excerpt] I love to watch them sheathe themselves mid-air, shut wings and ride the light’s poor spine to earth, to touch down in gutters, in the rainbowed urine of suicides, just outside Bellevue’s walls. From in there the ransacked cadavers are carried up the East River to Potter’s Field as if they were an inheritance, gleaned of saveable parts, their diseases jarred and labeled, or incinerated, the ashes of metastisized vision professing the virus that lives beyond the flesh in air ... —Deborah DiggesRead the full poem
Etymology
Origin: The word ransack comes from Old Norse rannsaka, meaning "to search a house" (from rann, "house," and saka, "to search"). It entered English in the 13th century, initially describing thorough searches, often with a sense of plunder or destruction.
Modern Usage: Ransack is used in contexts of crime, war, or chaotic searches, emphasizing disorder and aggression. It is common in news, literature, and historical accounts.
Grammar Note: Ransack is a transitive verb, requiring an object. Example: "The invaders ransacked the castle for hidden treasures."
Audience
Ransack is frequently used in crime reports, historical narratives, fiction, and journalism. It is relevant for writers, historians, and anyone interested in vivid descriptions of disorderly searches or looting.
When to use: Use ransack to describe a thorough, often destructive search, typically with negative connotations. Example: "The vandals ransacked the office, leaving papers strewn everywhere."
Extra! Extra!
For a fun and engaging exploration of our word of the day, watch the following…Brad Pitt's home was ransacked
Teens ransacking a restaurant
WordReference
For more on verb usage and collocations, visit the WordReference Forums for discussions, translations, and examples in context.
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English⇄English – Discuss and learn about words and their usage.
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English⇄French – Explore translations and linguistic nuances.
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Synonyms⇄Antonyms – Contextual variations, etc.
Common Idioms & Expressions Related to "ransack"
Ransack
To search thoroughly and destructively, often with intent to steal.
Example: "The thieves ransacked the apartment, leaving chaos behind."
Turn upside down
To search or disrupt a place thoroughly, leaving it in disorder.
Example: "She turned the room upside down looking for her keys."
Plunder
To take goods by force, often during a raid or war.
Example: "The invaders plundered the village’s resources."
Rummage through
To search through something in a hurried or careless way.
Example: "He rummaged through the drawer for his passport."
Loot
To steal goods, typically during a chaotic event like a riot or war.
Example: "The rioters looted the stores during the unrest."
Tear apart
To search or destroy a place aggressively.
Example: "They tore apart the attic looking for old letters."
Leave no stone unturned
To search every possible place or option thoroughly.
Example: "The police left no stone unturned in their investigation."
Sack
To plunder or destroy a place, often in a historical context.
Example: "The army sacked the city, leaving it in ruins."
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