What does "ransack" mean?
Synonym of ransacking (“an act of ransacking (“searching thoroughly (in order to steal); etc.”) someone or something; an eager search”).
Ransack
/ˈɹænsæk/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Synonym of ransacking (“an act of ransacking (“searching thoroughly (in order to steal); etc.”) someone or something; an eager search”).
- Grammar: ransack is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: loot, pillage, rifle, beat.
- Useful contrasts: ignore, leave intact, neaten.
- Usage evidence: 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.
How to use "ransack"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ransack" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ransack" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 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
- 1 To search (a place, through things, etc.) thoroughly, especially when vigorous and leaving behind a state of disarray. transitive
"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."
- 2 search thoroughly wordnet
- 3 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. transitive
"to ransack a house for valuables"
- 4 steal goods; take as spoils wordnet
- 5 To search for and steal (something) as plunder. transitive
"VVith greedy force he gan the fort aſſayle, / VVhereof he vveend poſſeſſe ſoone to bee, / And vvin rich ſpoile of ranſackt chaſtitee."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 To examine (someone or something) carefully; to investigate; also, to question (someone) thoroughly; to interrogate. archaic, figuratively, transitive
"[…] 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."
- 7 To look for or seek out (someone). obsolete, transitive
"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."
- 8 To search (someone) for a thing. obsolete, transitive
- 9 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”). figuratively, obsolete, transitive
"[D]epe wͭ dynt the ſword enforced furſt / had ranſakt through his ribs ⁊ ſwete whyte breſt at once had burſt."
- 10 To search thoroughly, especially when leaving behind a state of disarray. intransitive
"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: […]"
- 11 To search for and steal things. archaic, intransitive
Example
"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."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ransack"?
Common synonyms include: loot, pillage, rifle, beat, burglarize, burglarize.
How do you use "ransack" in a sentence?
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.
How do you pronounce "ransack"?
Pronounced /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- (“lonesome; quiet; to rest”)) + 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 verb sense 1.2 (“to search (someone, or a place) thoroughly in order to steal something”), verb sense 1.3 (“to search for and steal (something) as plunder”), and verb sense 2.2 (“to search for and steal things”) is 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)