ransack

Where does the word "ransack" come from? It comes from Old Norse rannsaka, and was adopted directly into English (1200s).

Ransack’s story begins in Old Norse: rannsaka meant “to search a house thoroughly.” Literally to search a house, from rann (house) and saka (to search). It reached English by 1200s as ransack. Settled as the English word for searching a place thoroughly, often destructively. Today, ransack means to search a place thoroughly and roughly, often stealing or causing damage.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval rannsaka "to search a house thoroughly", literally to search a house, from rann (house) and saka (to search).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1200s ransack "to search a place thoroughly, often causing damage", settled as the English word for searching a place thoroughly, often destructively.