"ransacking" in the noun sense
1. ransacking, rummage
a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion
"he gave the attic a good rummage but couldn't find his skis"
"ransacking" in the verb sense
1. plunder, despoil, loot, reave, strip, rifle, ransack, pillage, foray
steal goods take as spoils
"During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners"
2. comb, ransack
search thoroughly
"They combed the area for the missing child"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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