Definition: ransack

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

ransack
     v 1: steal goods; take as spoils; "During the earthquake people
          looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
          [syn: plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle,
           pillage, foray]
     2: search thoroughly; "They combed the area for the missing
        child" [syn: comb]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Ransack \Ran"sack\, v. i.
   To make a thorough search.

         To ransack in the tas [heap] of bodies dead. --Chaucer.
Ransack \Ran"sack\, n.
   The act of ransacking, or state of being ransacked; pillage.
   [R.]

         Even your father's house Shall not be free fromransack.
                                                  --J. Webster.
Ransack \Ran"sack\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ransacked; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Ransacking.] [OE. ransaken, Icel, rannsaka to
   explore, examine; rann a house (akin to Goth. razn house, AS.
   r[ae]sn plank, beam) + the root of s[ae]kja 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.    --Shak.

   3. To violate; to ravish; to defiour. [Obs.]

            Rich spoil of ransacked chastity.     --Spenser.