rummage

Plural: rummages

Noun

a jumble of things to be given away
a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion)
- "he gave the attic a good rummage but couldn't find his skis"
A thorough search, usually resulting in disorder.
Commotion; disturbance.
A disorganized collection of miscellaneous objects; a jumble.
A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a ship.
The act of stowing cargo; the pulling and moving about of packages incident to close stowage.

Verb

Verb Forms: rummaged, rummaging, rummages

To search unsystematically and thoroughly through a collection of things.
search haphazardly
- "We rummaged through the drawers"
To arrange (cargo, goods, etc.) in the hold of a ship; to move or rearrange such goods.
To search a vessel for smuggled goods.
To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.
To search something thoroughly and with disregard for the way in which things were arranged.
To hastily search for something in a confined space and among many items by carelessly turning things over or pushing things aside; dig through carelessly.

Examples

After the long voyage, the customs officers rummaged the ship.
Have a rummage through the attic and see if you can find anything worth selling.
He would RUMMAGE through his tile bag, hoping to find an ’S’ or a blank.
She rummaged her purse in search of the keys.
She rummaged in the drawers trying to find the missing sock.
The burglars rummaged the entire house for cash and jewellery.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English ronage, from Old French arrumage (compare French arrimage), from arrumer (“to arrange the cargo in the hold”) (compare French arrimer and Spanish arrumar).

Synonyms

ransacking, ransack, rifle, romage

Scrabble Score: 12

rummage: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
rummage: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
rummage: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

rummage: valid Words With Friends Word