seek

Word family

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++seek /siːk/ S2 W1 AWL verb (past tense and past participle sought /sɔːt $ sɒːt/) [transitive] 1 formal to try to achieve or get something 寻求；谋求 Do you think the president will seek re-election? 你认为总统会谋求连任吗？seek refuge/asylum/shelter etc Thousands of people crossed the border, seeking refuge from the war. 成千上万的人穿过边境寻求庇护，躲避战争。seek revenge/damages/compensation etc He sought revenge against Surkov for separating him from his wife and son. 苏尔科夫害得他妻离子散，他要报复。seek to do something Local schools are seeking to reduce the dropout rate. 当地学校在寻找办法降低辍学率。attention-seeking/publicity-seeking 吸引别人注意/寻求知名度2 seek (somebody’s) advice/help/assistance etc formalASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO somethingADVISE to ask someone for advice or help 征求（某人的）意见/请求（某人的）帮助/援助等 If the symptoms persist, seek medical advice. 如症状持续，请咨询医生。3 LOOK FOR written to look for someone or something 寻找，寻求 SYN look for new graduates seeking employment 正在求职的刚毕业的大学生 Attractive woman, 27, seeks male, 25-35, for fun and friendship. 魅力女性，27岁，欲觅25-35岁男子为友，同玩共乐，发展友情。► see thesaurus at search RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say that they are looking for someone or something rather than seeking someone or something: 在日常英语中,人们一般说looking for someone或something ,而不是seeking someone或somethingWhat kind of job are you looking for? 你在找什么样的工作？4 seek your fortune literaryTRY TO DO OR GET something to go to another place hoping to gain success and wealth 寻找成功致富之路，闯世界 Coles came to the Yukon in the 1970s to seek his fortune. 科尔斯在20世纪70年代来到育空地区寻找致富的机会。5 MOVE/CHANGE POSITIONto move naturally towards something or into a particular position 自然地向…移动 Water seeks its own level. 水往低处流。6 seek somebody/something ↔ out phrasal verb LOOK FORto try to find someone or something, especially when this is difficult 找出，找到 Our mission is to seek out the enemy and destroy them. 我们的任务是要找到敌人并把他们消灭。 → heat-seeking , hide-and-seek , self-seeking , sought-aftern COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2nounsseek helpHe sought help from the police.seek advice/informationIf in any doubt, seek the advice of a senior officer.seek support/approvalHe said he would seek shareholder support for the proposal.seek permissionThey 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 revengeDafoe plays a computer mastermind who seeks revenge on his former employer.adverbsactivelyThe university is actively seeking new funds.desperatelyThey ran in all directions, desperately seeking escape.→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

seek• In his lawsuit, Wyman is seeking $12 million in damages from his former employers.• The Carsons sought advice from their lawyer.• Each person has never sought an honour or payment for their selfless work, preferring quietly to get on with the job.• Or shall we seek comfort in the language of religion?• The number of needy Americans seeking emergency food and shelter increased by 7% last year.• Economics graduate, aged 25, with business experience, seeks interesting part-time work in the West London area.• If you are at all worried about your symptoms, you should seek medical advice.• Take two tablets every four hours. If symptoms persist, seek medical advice.• Do you think the President will seek re-election?• It presumes that reality is dynamic rather than static, and therefore seeks relationships between ideas, to aim at synthesis.• The government is seeking support from teachers for its latest education reforms.• The counsellor should seek to be as warm, supportive and caring as possible.• It seeks to put legislative power directly into the hands of the people and circumvent the long-standing institutions of representative government.• Significantly, almost 66 % of the patients reported previously seeking treatment from other physicians for their erectile dysfunction.• Holding elections to seek voter approval of existing taxes and fees is another expense.seek re-election• Also pictured is Annie Gallagher, who did not seek re-election.• Clinton will accept the Democratic nomination for a second-term without ever having publicly declared his intention to seek re-election.• D., who is seeking re-election.• He too is thought not to be seeking re-election.• His son Kieran then succeeded him and retained his seat there until 1989 when he did not seek re-election.• Presidential elections are scheduled in December, and Kim is barred by law from seeking re-election.• However some colleagues fear his decision not to seek re-election illustrates a deep unhappiness within middle ranks of the party.• The law bars 26 veteran legislators, including the Democratic leaders of both houses, from seeking re-election next year.From Longman Business Dictionaryseekseek /siːk/ verb (past tense and past participle sought) /sɔːtsɒːt/ [transitive] to try to get or achieve somethingEven while takeover talks were in progress, the company sought other potential buyers.Benefit claimants are asked to prove they are activelyseeking work.seek to do somethingThe directors sought to expand the business through speculation. —seeker noun [countable]A fall in the number of youngjob-seekers is expected.→ See Verb tableOrigin seek Old English secan

seek verb →REGISTER1 →n COLLOCATIONS1LDOCE OnlineChinese

or something Corpus to try get to achieve Business

seek
seek S2 W1 AC /siːk/

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.

🔑 seek AW

BrE

/siːk/

🔊

NAmE

/siːk/

🔊

verb

present simple - I / you / we / they

seek

BrE