Adjacent Words

Research definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RESEARCH, n. reserch'. Diligent inquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles; laborious or continued search after truth; as researches of human wisdom.
RESEARCH, v.t. reserch'.
1. To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently for the truth.
It is not easy to research with due distinction, in the actions of eminent personages, both how much may have been blemished by the envy of others, and what was corrupted by their own felicity. [Unusual.]
2. To search again; to examine anew.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: systematic investigation to establish facts
2: a search for knowledge; "their pottery deserves more research than it has received" [syn: inquiry, enquiry, research] v
1: attempt to find out in a systematically and scientific manner; "The student researched the history of that word"
2: inquire into; "the students had to research the history of the Second World War for their history project"; "He searched for information on his relatives on the web"; "Scientists are exploring the nature of consciousness" [syn: research, search, explore]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle French recerche, from recercher to go about seeking, from Old French recerchier, from re- + cerchier, sercher to search — more at search Date: 1577 1. careful or diligent search 2. studious inquiry or examination; especially investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws 3. the collecting of information about a particular subject II. verb Date: 1593 transitive verb 1. to search or investigate exhaustively <research a problem> 2. to do research for <research a book> intransitive verb to engage in research • researchable adjective • researcher noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

disp. n. & v. --n. 1 a the systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc., in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b (usu. in pl.) an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc. by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation. 2 (attrib.) engaged in or intended for research (research assistant). --v. 1 tr. do research into or for. 2 intr. make researches. Phrases and idioms: research and development (in industry etc.) work directed towards the innovation, introduction, and improvement of products and processes. Derivatives: researchable adj. researcher n. Etymology: obs. F recerche (as RE-, SEARCH)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Research Re*search" (r?-s?rch"), n. [Pref. re- + search: cf OF. recerche, F. recherche.] Diligent inquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles; laborious or continued search after truth; as, researches of human wisdom. The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries. --Macaulay. Syn: Investigation; examination; inquiry; scrutiny.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Research Re*search", v. t. [Pref. re- + search: cf. OF. recerchier, F. rechercher.] To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(researches, researching, researched) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Research is work that involves studying something and trying to discover facts about it. 65 percent of the 1987 budget went for nuclear weapons research and production. N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl 2. If you research something, you try to discover facts about it. She spent two years in South Florida researching and filming her documentary... So far we haven't been able to find anything, but we're still researching. VERB: V n, V • researcher (researchers) He chose to join the company as a market researcher. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Investigation, inquiry, scrutiny, examination, exploration, study, careful search.

Moby Thesaurus

amassing evidence, analysis, assay, beat the bushes, bring to test, burrow, check out, close inquiry, confirm, cut and try, delve, delve into, delving, department of investigation, detection, detective work, dig, dig into, digging, enquiry, essay, examination, examine, exhaustive study, experiment, experimentation, exploration, explore, fact-finding, forage, frisk, give a try, give a tryout, go through, have a go, hearing, hunt, indagation, inquest, inquire into, inquiry, inquisition, inspect, inspection, investigate, investigation, investigative bureau, legislative investigation, legwork, look around, look round, look through, nose around, perscrutation, play around with, poke, poke around, practice upon, probe, probing, prove, pry, put to trial, quest, road-test, root, run a sample, sample, scrutinize, scrutiny, search, search through, shake down, sifting, sleuthing, smell around, study, substantiate, taste, test, try, try it on, try out, validate, verify, witch-hunt