seek

/sik/

/sik/

Other forms: seeking; seeks

If you seek an accordion player for your new polka band, it means you are looking for a band mate.

When you seek something, you try to find it. It's possible to seek fame, or snacks, or a college degree, or approval — as long as you're looking for it, or longing for it, you're seeking it. The origins of the word seek go back to the Latin word sagire, which means "to perceive keenly by scent." Imagine a dog tracking a rabbit, sniffing the ground and following its scent, and you'll know exactly what it means to seek something.

Definitions of seek

1. verb

   try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
   synonyms: look for, search

   types:

   drag, dredge

   search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost

   finger

   search for on the computer

   fumble, grope

   feel about uncertainly or blindly

   divine

   search by divining, as if with a rod

   browse, surf

   look around casually and randomly, without seeking anything in particular

   leave no stone unturned

   search thoroughly and exhaustively

   hunt

   seek, search for

   gather

   look for (food) in nature

   want

   hunt or look for; want for a particular reason

   scour

   examine minutely

   seek out

   look for a specific person or thing

   go after, pursue, quest after, quest for

   go in search of or hunt for

   angle, fish

   seek indirectly

   grub

   search about busily

   feel

   grope or feel in search of something

   browse, shop

   shop around; not necessarily buying

   grope for, scrabble

   feel searchingly

   dowse

   use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal

   shell

   look for and collect shells by the seashore

   comparison-shop

   compare prices for a given item

   antique

   shop for antiques

   window-shop

   examine the shop windows; shop with the eyes only

   browse

   scan, look through, or look for information on the internet
2. verb

   try to get or reach
   “seek a position”

   “seek an education”

   “seek happiness”

   types:

   bid

   make a serious effort to attain something

   quest

   make a search (for)

   type of:

   desire, want

   feel or have a desire for; want strongly
3. verb

   go to or towards
   “a liquid seeks its own level”

   type of:

   go, locomote, move, travel

   change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
4. verb

   inquire for
   “seek directions from a local”

   type of:

   request

   inquire for (information)
5. verb

   make an effort or attempt
   “He sought to improve himself”

   “She always seeks to do good in the world”

   synonyms: assay, attempt, essay, try

   types:

   pick up the gauntlet, take a dare

   be dared to do something and attempt it

   fight, struggle

   make a strenuous or labored effort

   give it a try, have a go

   make an attempt at something

   grope

   search blindly or uncertainly

   endeavor, endeavour, strive

   attempt by employing effort

   give it a try, give it a whirl

   try

   adventure, chance, gamble, hazard, risk, run a risk, take a chance, take chances

   take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

   lay on the line, put on the line, risk

   expose to a chance of loss or damage

   strive, struggle

   exert strenuous effort against opposition

   drive, labor, labour, push, tug

   strive and make an effort to reach a goal

   flounder

   behave awkwardly; have difficulties

   be at pains, take pains

   try very hard to do something

   buck

   to strive with determination

   go for broke

   risk everything in one big effort

   luck it, luck through

   act by relying on one's luck

   adventure, hazard, jeopardize, stake, venture

   put at risk

   bell the cat

   take a risk; perform a daring act

   type of:

   act, move

   perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
6. noun

   the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk
   type of:

   motion, movement

   a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something