v. rum·maged, rum·mag·ing, rum·mag·es v.tr. 1. To search thoroughly by handling, turning over, or disarranging the contents of. 2. To discover by searching thoroughly. v.intr. To make an energetic, usually hasty search. n. 1. A thorough search among a number of things. 2. A confusion of miscellaneous articles. [From earlier romage, act of packing cargo, from French arrumage, from Old French, from arumer, to stow, from Old Provençal arumar : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see AD-) + perhaps run, ship's hold (of Germanic origin; see reuə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] rummag·er n. |
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