ransack /ˈrænsæk/ vb (transitive) to search through every part of (a house, box, etc); examine thoroughly to plunder; pillage Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse rann house + saka to search, seek

This is appropriate given the word's origin. Ransack derives, via Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka; the rann in rannsaka means "house." The second half of rannsaka is related to an Old English word, sēcan, meaning "to seek."

mid-13c., ransaken, "to plunder; to make a search, search thoroughly," from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse rannsaka "to pillage," literally "search the house" (especially legally, for stolen goods), from rann "house," from Proto-Germanic *raznan (c.f. Gothic razn, Old English ærn "house;" Old English rægn "a plank, ceiling;" see barn) + saka "to search," related to Old Norse soekja "seek" (see seek).

Etymology: From ransaken, from rannsakka, from rann + saka; probably influenced by sack Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Rate this definition: 0.0 / 0 votes To Ransack verb Etymology: ran, Saxon, and saka, Swedish, to search for or seize.

Etymology [ edit] From Middle English ransaken, from Old Norse rannsaka, from rann (“house”) + saka (“search”); probably influenced by sack. Compare Danish ransage, Swedish rannsaka.