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Webster 1913 Edition

Ransack

Ran′sack

(răn′săk)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ransacked
(-săkt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Ransacking
.]
[OE.
ransaken
, Icel.
rannsaka
to explore, examine;
rann
a house (akin to Goth.
razn
house, AS.
ræsn
plank, beam) + the root of
sækja
to seek, akin to E.
seek
. See
Seek
, and cf.
Rest
repose.]
1.
To search thoroughly; to search every place or part of;
as, to
ransack
a house
.
To
ransack
every corner of their . . . hearts.
South.
2.
To plunder; to pillage completely.
Their vow is made
To
ransack
Troy.
Shakespeare
3.
To violate; to ravish; to defiour.
[Obs.]
Rich spoil of
ransacked
chastity.
Spenser.

Ran′sack

,
Verb.
I.
To make a thorough search.
To
ransack
in the tas [heap] of bodies dead.
Chaucer.

Ran′sack

,
Noun.
The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage.
[R.]
Even your father’s house
Shall not be free from
ransack
.
J. Webster.

Webster 1828 Edition

Ransack

RAN'SACK

,
Verb.
T.
[Eng. rand, and ran is rapine. The last syllable coincides with the English verb to sack, to pillage.]
1.
To plunder; to pillage completely; to strip by plundering; as, to ransack a house or city.
Their vow is made to ransack Troy.
2.
To search thoroughly; to enter and search every place or part. It seems often to convey the sense of opening doors and parcels, and turning over things in search; as, to ransack files of papers.
I ransack the several caverns.
3.
To violate; to ravish; to deflower; as ransacked chastity. [Not in use.]

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