rummage
rummage
Definition
rum·mage (rum′ij)
noun
- miscellaneous articles; odds and ends
- a rummaging, or thorough search
Etymology: aphetic < MFr arrumage < arrumer, to stow cargo in the hold < aruner, to arrange < run, rum, ship's hold < Frank *rum, akin to OE rum, room
transitive verb -·maged, -·mag·ing
- to search through (a place, receptacle, etc.) thoroughly, esp. by moving the contents about, turning them over, etc.; ransack
- to get, find, or turn up by or as by searching thoroughly: with up or out
intransitive verb
to search diligently, now sometimes haphazardly, as through the contents of a receptacle
rum′·mager noun
rummage
Synonyms
rummage
n.
rummage
Synonyms
rummage
v.
rummage
Usage Examples
Object
- round: I'm just rummaging round the back of the fridge for a lager.
Converse of object
- have: We will be having an extended coffee break to give everyone loads of time to have a good rummage.
Preposition: through
- rubbish: Serious smokers can be seen rummaging through rubbish and peering in gutters looking for discarded, but not quite spent, Bic lighters.
- bin: However a rummage through the junk bin turned up some bicycle frame tubing ( cheap, heavy wall ) that was a close match.
- bag: The children also rummaged through bin bags to discover what the rubbish said about the people who had thrown their rubbish away.
- box: The young man rummaging through the boxes is ecstatic.
- archives: But Mann didn't spend all that time to rummage through the archives of Punk!
Adjective modifier
- quick: Other short notes are under The Woodshed if you fancy a quick rummage through.
- good: We will be having an extended coffee break to give everyone loads of time to have a good rummage.
Modifies a noun
- sale: Visit flea markets and rummage sales in some scenic corner of the country.
- dive: Dive 4: a good rummage dive to see what the sailors chucked overboard over the years including hospital beds.
Modifying Another Word
- about: Or rummage about for your Dad's porn stash.
Followed by an intransitive particle
- around: She started to rummage around in the kitchen, looking in her stash places for the necklace.
- through: We've also got materials kindly again donate by the Barnardo's NE shops, for people to rummage through at our workshops.
Followed by a transitive particle
- around: Who are these pesky little creatures who rummage around the internet all the time?
Preposition: in
- dustbin: And we would go and rummage in the dustbins in Soho for out of date film stock and use that.
- cupboard: In semi-darkness, Beth rummaged blindly in the cupboard beneath the old clay sink, knowing that in here somewhere was an oil lamp.
- drawer: Then, with a sudden thought, he rummages in a drawer of the desk and gets out a packet of papers.
- bin: The answer, my friend, is rummage in the bins.
- box: I didn't and spent about 15 minutes rummaging about in boxes looking for the Win XP CD case.
Browse dictionary entries near rummage
- ruminate
- ruminant
- Rumford
- rumen
- Rumelia
- rumbustious
- rumble strip
- rumble seat
- rumble
- rumba
- rummage sale
- rummer
- rummy
- rumor
- rumored
- rumormonger
- rump
- Rump Parliament
- Rumpelstiltskin
- rumple
