seek
[verb]
Synonyms:
- look for, be after, follow, hunt, pursue, search for
- try, aim, aspire to, attempt, endeavour, essay, strive

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Related Idioms: go in quest (or search) of
Related Words: bird-dog, delve, dig, fish, mouse, nose, root, smell out, sniff

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English Thesaurus: surf the net, search, shop/book online, visit a website, download, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

seek S2 W1 AC /siːk/ verb (past tense and past participle sought /sɔːt $ sɒːt/) [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: seek; noun: seeker]
[Language: Old English; Origin: secan]

1. formal to try to achieve or get something:
Do you think the President will seek re-election?
seek refuge/asylum/shelter etc
Thousands of people crossed the border, seeking refuge from the war.
seek revenge/damages/compensation etc
He sought revenge against Surkov for separating him from his wife and son.
seek to do something
Local schools are seeking to reduce the dropout rate.
attention-seeking/publicity-seeking

2. seek (sb’s) advice/help/assistance etc formal to ask someone for advice or help:
If the symptoms persist, seek medical advice.

3. written to look for someone or something Synonym : look for:
new graduates seeking employment
Attractive woman, 27, seeks male, 25-35, for fun and friendship.

REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say that they are looking for someone or something rather than seeking someone or something:
What kind of job are you looking for?

4. seek your fortune literary to go to another place hoping to gain success and wealth:
Coles came to the Yukon in the 1970s to seek his fortune.

5. to move naturally towards something or into a particular position:
Water seeks its own level.
⇒ heat-seeking, hide-and-seek, self-seeking, sought-after

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

seek
verb
ADV. actively people who are unemployed and actively seeking work
avidly, eagerly, keenly | desperately, urgently He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.
successfully | in vain, unsuccessfully, vainly
PREP. for They sought in vain for somewhere to shelter.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

seek

seek help
He sought help from the police.
seek advice/information
If in any doubt, seek the advice of a senior officer.
seek support/approval
He said he would seek shareholder support for the proposal.
seek permission
They are seeking permission to build 200 new houses.
seek refuge/asylum/shelter (=try to find somewhere safe)
They sought refuge inside the castle.
seek election/re-election (=try to be elected or re-elected)
He hasn’t decided whether to seek re-election.
seek compensation/damages (=ask for money because of something bad you have suffered)
The other two may seek compensation for wrongful imprisonment.
seek revenge
Dafoe plays a computer mastermind who seeks revenge on his former employer.
actively
The university is actively seeking new funds.
desperately
They ran in all directions, desperately seeking escape.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

seek
verb
1.
DUBIOUS: I'm seeking someone to play squash with.
GOOD: I'm looking for someone to play squash with.

Usage Note:
Seek is used mainly in formal styles: 'The aim of the hostel is to give help to those seeking friendship or simply shelter for the night.'
See also note at SEARCH 2 (search)

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2.
BAD: He sat nearer the tree, seeking for protection.
GOOD: He sat nearer the tree, seeking protection.

Usage Note:
seek sb/sth (WITHOUT for ): 'Economics graduate, aged 25, seeks interesting part-time work in the West London area.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

surf the net verb to look quickly through information on the Internet, looking for anything that interests you:
He spends his evenings surfing the net.
search to look for a specific piece of information on the Internet, for example by entering text into a box:
Try searching for his name on Google.
shop/book online to buy things or reserve tickets using the Internet:
More and more people are preferring to shop online.
It’s easier to book online.
visit a website to look at a particular Internet site:
You can check to see how many people visit your website.
download to get files, programs, music, films etc from the Internet and put them on your own computer:
I downloaded the software for free from the Internet.
chat to communicate with several people in a chat room on the Internet:
Using the Internet, you can chat to people from around the world.
search something carefully
We searched the whole house carefully, but didn’t find anything.
search something thoroughly
They searched the garden thoroughly.
search frantically/desperately (=in a hurried way, because you feel very worried)
Panic-stricken parents frantically searched for their children.
search high and low (=search everywhere)
We searched high and low for him, but couldn’t find him.
search something from top to bottom (=search all the rooms in a building)
They searched the house from top to bottom.
search in vain
He searched in vain for a means of escape.
search to look carefully for someone or something:
Detectives continue to search for clues.
She searched through all his clothes.
look for somebody/something to try to get someone or something you want or need:
I’m looking for something to wear for my sister’s wedding.
The band is looking for a singer.
He’s decided to look for a new career.
try to find somebody/something used especially when someone or something is difficult to find:
I spent half an hour trying to find a parking space.
She was in the kitchen, trying to find something to eat that wasn’t raw carrot.
seek formal to try to find something or someone. Used especially about jobs, help, or information. Also used in newspaper advertisements when trying to find a suitable person:
They went there seeking work.
She decided to seek help.
Tall blond 18-year-old male seeks female 17+ for friendship.
hunt to look for someone or something. Used when you look very carefully and thoroughly, or in the phrase house/job/bargain hunting:
I’ve hunted everywhere, but I can’t find a recipe for French onion soup.
She’s gone out bargain-hunting in the sales.
be on the lookout for somebody/something to be continuously looking for someone or something:
I’m always on the lookout for a good bargain.
leave no stone unturned to look for someone or something in every possible place:
The police say they will leave no stone unturned in their search for the killer.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲