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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Seek

Seek, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SOUGHT (sawt); p. pr. & vb. n. SEEKING.] [O. Eng. seken, A-S. sēcan, sēcean, sæcan, O. Sax. sōkian, Goth. sōkjan, L. Ger. sōken, D. zoeken, O. H. Ger. suohhan, M. H. Ger. suochen, N. H. Ger. suchen, Icel. sōkia, Sw. söka, Dan. søge, from A-S. sacan, to contend, strive, Goth. sakan, O. H. Ger. sahhan, Icel. sāka, allied to Lat. sequi, to follow.] 1. To go in search or quest of; to look for; to search for; to try to find. The man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren. Gen. xxxvii. 15, 16. 2. To inquire for; to ask for; to solicit; to endeavor to find or gain by any means. Others, tempting him, sought of him a sign. Luke xi. 16.

Seek, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To make search or inquiry; to endeavor to make discovery. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read. Is. xxxiv. 16. 2. To endeavor; to attempt; to strive. *Ask not what pains, nor further seek to know Their process, or the forms of law below.* Dryden. To seek after, to make pursuit of; to attempt to find or take. — To seek for, to endeavor to find. — To seek to, to apply to; to resort to; to solicit; to court. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. — To seek. (a.) Needing to seek or search; at a loss; without resource; destitute of knowledge or experience; — used adverbially. “Unpracticed, unprepared, and still to seek.” Milton. (b.) To be sought; desiderated; as, a work of this sort is still to seek.