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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Rummage \Rum"mage\ (?; 48), n. [For roomage, fr. room; hence
originally, a making room, a packing away closely. See
{Room}.]
1. (Naut.) A place or room for the stowage of cargo in a
ship; also, the act of stowing cargo; the pulling and
moving about of packages incident to close stowage; --
formerly written romage. [Obs.]
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2. A searching carefully by looking into every corner, and by
turning things over.
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He has made such a general rummage and reform in the
office of matrimony. --Walpole.
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{Rummage sale}, a clearance sale of unclaimed goods in a
public store, or of odds and ends which have accumulated
in a shop. --Simmonds.
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Rummage \Rum"mage\, v. i.
To search a place narrowly.
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I have often rummaged for old books in Little Britain
and Duck Lane. --Swift.
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[His house] was haunted with a jolly ghost, that . . .
. . . rummaged like a rat. --Tennyson.
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Rummage \Rum"mage\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rummaged}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Rummaging}.]
1. (Naut.) To make room in, as a ship, for the cargo; to move
about, as packages, ballast, so as to permit close
stowage; to stow closely; to pack; -- formerly written
{roomage}, and {romage}. [Obs.]
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They might bring away a great deal more than they
do, if they would take pain in the romaging.
--Hakluyt.
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2. To search or examine thoroughly by looking into every
corner, and turning over or removing goods or other
things; to examine, as a book, carefully, turning over
leaf after leaf.
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He . . . searcheth his pockets, and taketh his keys,
and so rummageth all his closets and trunks.
--Howell.
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What schoolboy of us has not rummaged his Greek
dictionary in vain for a satisfactory account! --M.
Arnold.
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