Rummage

name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname from German.
Noun
  1. 1
    A thorough search, usually resulting in disorder. countable, uncountable

    "Have a rummage through the attic and see if you can find anything worth selling."

  2. 2
    a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion) wordnet
  3. 3
    Commotion; disturbance. countable, obsolete, uncountable
  4. 4
    a jumble of things to be given away wordnet
  5. 5
    A disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects; a jumble. countable, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    The act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods. transitive
  2. 2
    search haphazardly wordnet
  3. 3
    To search a vessel for smuggled goods. transitive

    "After the long voyage, the customs officers rummaged the ship."

  4. 4
    To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged. transitive

    "She rummaged her purse in search of the keys."

  5. 5
    To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside; dig through carelessly. intransitive

    "She rummaged in the drawers trying to find the missing sock."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

Etymology 2

From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

Etymology 3

Americanized spelling of German Rometsch.

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