root
[noun]
Synonyms:
- stem, rhizome, tuber
- source, base, bottom, cause, core, foundation, heart, nucleus, origin, seat, seed
- roots: sense of belonging, birthplace, cradle, family, heritage, home, origins
[verb]
Synonyms:
- establish, anchor, fasten, fix, ground, implant, moor, set, stick
————————
[verb]
dig, burrow, ferret

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Antonyms: uproot
Related Words: basis, foundation, ground

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English Thesaurus: origin/origins, source, root, the birthplace of something, the cradle of something, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. root¹ S2 W2 /ruːt/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Old Norse; Origin: rot]

1. PLANT the part of a plant or tree that grows under the ground and gets water from the soil:
tree roots
These plants produce a number of thin roots. ⇒ root crop, root vegetable

2. CAUSE OF A PROBLEM the main cause of a problem
be/lie at the root of something (=be the cause of something)
Allergies are at the root of a lot of health problems.
The love of money is the root of all evil.
A competent mechanic should be able to get to the root of the problem (=find out the cause of a problem).
the root causes of crime

3. ORIGIN/MAIN PART the origin or main part of something such as a custom, law, activity etc, from which other things have developed
root in
a legal system with roots in English common law
Jazz has its roots in the folk songs of the southern states of the US.
be/lie at the root of something
the liberal economic policies which lie at the root of American power

4. FAMILY CONNECTION sb’s roots your relation to a place because you were born there, or your family used to live there:
immigrants keeping in touch with their cultural roots
Alex Haley’s story about his search for his roots became a bestseller.

5. put down roots if you put down roots somewhere, you start to feel that a place is your home and to have relationships with the people there:
Because of her husband’s job, they’d moved too often to put down roots anywhere.

6. TOOTH/HAIR ETC the part of a tooth, hair etc that connects it to the rest of your body:
She’d pulled some of Kelly’s hair out by the roots.

7. take root
a) if an idea, method, activity etc takes root, people begin to accept or believe it, or it begins to have an effect:
Economists believe that economic recovery will begin to take root next year.
b) if a plant takes root, it starts to grow where you have planted it

8. have a (good) root round British English informal to search for something by moving other things around

9. LANGUAGE technical the basic part of a word which shows its main meaning, to which other parts can be added. For example, the word ‘coldness’ is formed from the root ‘cold’ and the suffix ‘ness’. ⇒ stem

10. MATHEMATICS technical a number that, when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, equals the number that you have:
2 is the fourth root of 16.

11. root and branch if you destroy or change something root and branch, you get rid of it or change it completely and permanently because it is bad:
a root and branch reform of the electoral system
⇒ cube root, square root, grass roots

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. root² verb
[Sense 1-2, 4-5: Date: 1200-1300; Origin: ⇒ root¹]
[Sense 3: Language: Old English; Origin: wrotan. root for 1800-1900 Perhaps from rout (of cattle) 'to make a loud sound' (14-19 centuries), from Old Norse rauta]

1. PLANT
a) [intransitive] to grow roots:
New shrubs will root easily in summer.
b) [transitive usually passive] if a plant is rooted somewhere, it is held in the ground firmly by its roots:
a bush firmly rooted in the hard ground
root itself
Clumps of thyme had rooted themselves between the rocks.

2. be rooted in something to have developed from something and be strongly influenced by it:
The country’s economic troubles are rooted in a string of global crises.
This feeling of rejection is often deeply rooted in childhood.

3. SEARCH [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to search for something by moving things around Synonym : rummage
root through/in/amongst something (for something)
Leila rooted through her handbag for a pen.

4. PIGS [intransitive usually + adverb/preposition] if a pig roots somewhere, it looks for food under the ground
root for
pigs rooting for truffles

5. rooted to the spot/floor/ground etc so shocked, surprised, or frightened that you cannot move:
She stood rooted to the spot, staring at him.
root for somebody phrasal verb informal

1. to want someone to succeed in a competition, test, or difficult situation:
You can do it – I’m rooting for you.

2. especially American English to support a sports team or player by shouting and cheering:
the Los Angeles fans rooting for the Lakers
root something ↔ out phrasal verb

1. to find out where a particular kind of problem exists and get rid of it:
Action is being taken to root out corruption in the police force.

2. to find something by searching for it:
I’ll try and root out something for you to wear.
root something ↔ up phrasal verb
to dig or pull a plant up with its roots

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

root
noun
I. of a plant
ADJ. deep, shallow | gnarled
ROOT + VERB develop, grow | put down, take I hope those cuttings will take root.
ROOT + NOUN system | crops, vegetables
PREP. by its/the ~s She pulled the shrub out by its roots.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

root
II. roots: place where you feel you belong
ADJ. humble Despite his wealth, he never forgot his humble roots.
cultural severed from our cultural roots by industrialization
middle-class, peasant, working-class | French, Scottish, etc.
VERB + ROOT get/go back to, return to My husband wants to go back to his Irish roots.
trace They can trace their roots back to the sixteenth century.
put down We haven't been here long enough to put down roots.
cut yourself off from

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

root
III. cause/source
ADJ. deep | very | common The two languages share a common root.
historical
VERB + ROOT have | get at/to, go to I've spent months trying to get to the root of the problem.
lie at
ROOT + NOUN cause
PREP. at (the ~ of) It is a moral question at root. His fears of loneliness lay at the very root of his inability to leave.
~ in The unrest has roots in religious differences.
PHRASES the root of all evil They consider globalization to be the root of all evil.
the root of the matter/problem I expect money is at the root of the matter.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

origin/origins the place or situation in which something begins to exist:
the origins of the conflict in the Middle East
The book explains the origin of words.
Her disability is genetic in origin.
source the thing, place etc that you get something from:
They get their money from various sources.
Beans are a good source of protein.
root the root of a problem is the main cause. The roots of something are the things that it was originally based on:
Allergies are at the root of a lot of health problems.
At the root of the crisis was a shortage of hard cash.
They want a return to the roots of Christianity.
Reggae has its roots in a range of different musical styles.
the birthplace of something the place where something first started to exist:
New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz.
Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee
the cradle of something the place where something important first started – used mainly in the following phrases:
Ancient Athens is considered to be the cradle of democracy.
Baghdad was the cradle of civilization.
starting point an idea, suggestion etc from which a discussion, process, or project can develop:
His paper provided an excellent starting point for discussion.
come from something to have developed from something that existed before:
The word origami comes from the Japanese ori (folding) and kami (paper).
Where did the idea for the book come from?
be based on something to use something else as the basis:
The film is based on a traditional Chinese story.
She later wrote a book based on her experiences in Africa.
originate to come from a particular place, group, or situation, especially one that existed a long time ago. Originate is more formal than come from:
The jewellery probably originates from Egypt.
Genes also tell us that native Americans originated from a small group of migrants who crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia.
Christmas pudding is thought to have originated from a type of medieval porridge, which was made of meat, dried fruit, nuts, sugar and spices.
be founded on something to develop from an idea or belief:
Our system of government is founded on the principle of democracy.
derive from something/be derived from something to come from something, especially by means of a long or complicated process – often used about words coming from another language:
Much of the English language is derived from Latin.
Many drugs are derived from plants.
have its origins/roots in something to develop from something that existed long ago:
Halloween has its origins in an ancient Celtic festival.
Modern country and Western music has its roots in the folk songs of the rural south.
go back to something to come from a particular past time or event or from something that existed a long time ago:
Our friendship goes back to our freshman year in college.
The college goes back to the Middle Ages.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

root
̈ɪru:t
See: take root

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲