seek

اشتراک گذاری در شبکه های اجتماعی

seek [verb] (SEARCH)

to try to find or get something, especially something that is not a physical object

US /siːk/ 
UK /siːk/ 

جستجو كردن‌، (دنبال‌ چيزى) گشتن‌، در پى‌ چيزى بودن‌

مثال: 

"Are you actively seeking jobs?" she asked.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

seek

 verb (seeks, seeking, sought /, has sought) (formal)
to try to find or get something:
You should seek help.

 

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

seek

seek S2 W1 AC /siːk/ BrE AmE 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 SYN 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
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ nouns
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.
■ adverbs
actively The university is actively seeking new funds.
desperately They ran in all directions, desperately seeking escape.
• • •
THESAURUS
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.
seek somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb
to try to find someone or something, especially when this is difficult:
Our mission is to seek out the enemy and destroy them.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

seek

seek AW [seek seeks sought seeking]   [siːk]    [siːk]  verb (sought, sought   [sɔːt]  ;   [sɔːt]  )(formal)
1. transitive, intransitive to look for sth/sb
~ sth/sb Drivers are advised to seek alternative routes.

~ for sth/sb (BrE) They sought in vain for somewhere to shelter.

2. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) to try to obtain or achieve sth
to seek funding for a project
Highly qualified secretary seeks employment. (= in an advertisement)
• He intends to seek custody of the children.

• We are currently seeking new ways of expanding our membership.

3. transitive to ask sb for sth
~ sth I think it's time we sought legal advice.

~ sth from sb She managed to calm him down and seek help from a neighbour.

4. intransitive ~ to do sth to try to do sth
Syn:  attempt

• They quickly sought to distance themselves from the protesters.

5. -seeking (in adjectives and nouns) looking for or trying to get the thing mentioned; the activity of doing this
attention-seeking behaviour
Voluntary work can provide a framework for job-seeking.
see also  heat-seeking, self-seeking
see also  hide-and-seek
Idiom: seek your fortune
Derived: seek somebody out
Verb forms:
 
Word Origin:
Old English sēcan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zieken and German suchen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin sagire ‘perceive by scent’.  
Thesaurus:
seek verb
1. T, I (formal)
Police are seeking witnesses.
looksearchhunt|written cast around/about for sth
seek/look/search/hunt for sth
seek/look for/search for/cast around for a/an alternative/way
police/detectives seek/look for/search for/hunt sb/sth
2. T, I (formal)
She is seeking work in the charity sector.
go after sth|formal pursue
seek/go after a job
actively/successfully seek/pursue sth
be currently seeking/pursuing sth
3. T (formal)
She sought help from a neighbour.
askappealapplyclaimdemand|formal request|especially journalism call for sth
seek/ask for/appeal for/claim/request/call for sth from sb
formally seek/ask for/apply for/claim/request/call for sth 
Example Bank:
He was desperately seeking a way to see her again.
Jobs in Paris are highly sought after.
The developer is currently seeking funding for the project.
They initially sought to blame others for the disaster.
We sought in vain for a solution.
We're seeking for alternative materials which might bring the cost down.
people who are unemployed and actively seeking work
the answers she sought in those books
Employers are seeking further clarification of the proposals.
He admired her ability to seek out bargains.
He encouraged governments to adopt a more forceful approach in seeking to improve the environment.
I advise you to seek assistance from the police.
I think you should seek guidance from your lawyer on this matter.
It is best to seek a compromise rather than a perfect solution.
Lawyers are seeking an out-of-court settlement.
Police are seeking witnesses to the accident.
She fled the country and is now seeking asylum in Sweden.
The police are seeking independent confirmation of certain details of the story.
The research project will seek to find an answer to this question.
The state has actively sought to develop tourism.
They are now seeking endorsement for their ideas.
They sought comfort in each other.
• They sought refuge in the mountain villages.

• To receive the benefit, you have to be actively seeking work.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

seek / siːk / verb ( sought , sought ) formal (SEARCH)

B2 [ T ] to try to find or get something, especially something that is not a physical object:

"Are you actively seeking jobs?" she asked.

Hundreds of dissidents are seeking refuge/asylum in the US embassy.

B2 [ T ] to ask for advice, help, approval, permission, etc.:

Legal advice should be sought before you take any further action.

 

-seeking / -ɪŋ / suffix

A lot of bad behaviour is attention -seeking on the part of mixed-up kids.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

seek

[si͟ːk]

 seeks, seeking, sought
 1) VERB If you seek something such as a job or a place to live, you try to find one. [FORMAL]
  [V n] They have had to seek work as labourers...
  [V n] Four people who sought refuge in the Italian embassy have left voluntarily...
  [be V-ed for n] Candidates are urgently sought for the post of Conservative party chairman.
 2) VERB When someone seeks something, they try to obtain it. [FORMAL]
  [V n] The prosecutors have warned they will seek the death penalty...
  [V n] Haemophiliacs are seeking compensation for being given contaminated blood.
 3) VERB If you seek someone's help or advice, you contact them in order to ask for it. [FORMAL]
  [V n] Always seek professional legal advice before entering into any agreement...
  [V n] On important issues, they seek a second opinion...
  [V n from n] The couple have sought help from marriage guidance counsellors.
 4) VERB If you seek to do something, you try to do it. [FORMAL]
  [V to-inf] He also denied that he would seek to annex the country...
  [V to-inf] Moscow is seeking to slow the growth of Russian inflation.
  Phrasal Verbs:
  - seek out

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

seek

seek /ˈsiːk/ verb seeks; sought /ˈsɑːt/; seek·ing [+ obj] somewhat formal
1 : to search for (someone or something) : to try to find (someone or something)
• He is seeking employment. [=he is looking for a job]
• The office is seeking a salesperson.
• The prince is seeking a wife.
• Snakes seek the sun to warm their bodies.
• thrill-seeking travelers [=travelers who want to have very exciting/thrilling experiences]
2 : to ask for (help, advice, etc.)
• You should visit your doctor and seek his advice.
• You should seek medical help immediately if you experience any chest pain or shortness of breath.
• The church is seeking donations/volunteers.
3 a : to try to get or achieve (something)
• He sought revenge for his son's murder.
• During the war, she sought asylum in Spain.
• They sought refuge in Canada.
• The company is seeking new ways to improve service.
• The mayor is seeking reelection.
• She seeks perfection in her work.
• attention-seeking behavior
• Immigrants come to America to seek their fortune. [=to try to become rich]
• They are seeking compensation/damages [=they are trying to get money] for their loss.
b : to make an attempt to do something
• Doctors have been seeking [=trying] to find a cure.
• The builders sought to make the bridge stronger.
seek out [phrasal verb] seek (someone or something) out or seek out (someone or something) : to search for and find (someone or something)
• His parents sought out the best doctors in the field.
• White blood cells seek out and destroy infections.

- see also heat-seeking

- seek·er noun, pl -ers [count]
seekers of perfection
• job/thrill/pleasure/autograph seekers