seek

CEFRB1

/ˈsiːk/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To try to find or get something.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To ask for; to solicit; to beseech.

Examples

  • And they would play hide and go seek.

  • Drivers are advised to seek alternative routes.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Also pronounced

  • [ˈsɪi̯k]

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings
  1. To try to find; to look for; to search for.

  2. To try to acquire or gain; to strive after; to aim at.

  3. To try to reach or come to; to go to; to resort to.

More examples

In context
  • Some Blacks seek more radical solutions.

  • I sought my fortune on the goldfields.

  • I seek forgiveness through repentance.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The rescue team must blank the lost child in the dense forest quickly.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English seke, seken, from Old English sēċan, sēċean, sœ̄ċan, from Proto-West Germanic *sōkijan, from Proto-Germanic *sōkijaną (“to seek”), from Proto-Indo-European *séh₂gyeti (“to seek out”), from *seh₂g- (“to follow, trace”). Cognates Cognate with Yola zeek (“to seek”), North Frisian schük, sjuk, säke (“to search, seek”), Saterland Frisian säike (“to search, seek”), West Frisian sykje (“to seek”), Alemannic German sueche, süeche (“to search, seek”), Bavarian suacha, suachn (“to search”), Central Franconian söke (“to search”), Cimbrian züuchan (“to seek”), Dutch zoeken (“to seek”), Low German söken (“to seek”), German suchen (“to seek”), Luxembourgish sichen (“to seek; to fetch”...