seek English · revision 4225

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=ine-pro *seh₂g-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /siːk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sechen]], seken,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|sēcan|t=to search for; pursue, chase; long for; visit]], sēocan,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) influenced by Old Norse sœkja,^(Etymonline) from [[gem-pro|*sōkijaną|alt=*sokjanan]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source also of Old Saxon sōkian, Dutch zoeken, German suchen and Gothic sōkjan,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*seh₂g-|alt=*sag-|t=to track down, seek out]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) the source also of Latin sāgīre “to perceive keenly”, sagāx “keen-scented”, Old Irish saigid “seeks” and Greek hēgeîsthai “to lead”.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The natural modern form of the Old English word, without Norse influence, survives in [[beseech]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) It is related to [[sagacious]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English sēcan “to visit, pursue”, about 725 in Beowulf, and “to try to find” before 899, according to Barnhart;^(Barnhart 1988) about 888 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By late Old English it also meant “to ask a question”.^(Etymonline) Middle English sechan meant “to require, demand” in 1155, and sechen “to look for” probably about 1175.^(Barnhart 1988) Of places, “to go to, resort to”, it is old but now archaic.^(OED 1989) ''Seek-sorrow'' (1580s) was a self-tormentor,^(Etymonline) and the seek-no-further apple is by the 1660s.^(Etymonline) The noun, a series of horn notes calling hounds to the chase, is from about 1500,^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) and in computing, the movement of a read/write head, from 1965.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – to visit, pursue.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * a. 899 – to try to find.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1155 – to demand.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1500 – noun, a hunting call.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580s – ''seek-sorrow''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1965 – a disk seek.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To try to find; to [[search]] for.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To try to obtain or reach: ''seek advice''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To try; to [[endeavour]]: ''sought to explain''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To go to or towards: ''water seeks its own level''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To ask for; to request.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[seeker]]

+ * [[reseek]]

+ * [[outseek]]

+ * [[north-seeking pole]]

+ * [[south-seeking pole]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[beseech]]

+ * [[sought]]

+ * [[sagacious]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage groups seek with hunt, quest and search as verbs meaning “to make an effort to find something”.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}