Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: PLANTS

Sense: 1-2, 4-5
Date: 1200-1300
Origin: ROOT1
Sense: 3
Date: 1800-1900
Origin: Old English wrotan. root for Perhaps from rout (of cattle) 'to make a loud sound' (14-19 centuries), from Old Norse rauta

root

2 verb
     
root2
1

plant

a) [intransitive]HBP to grow roots:
New shrubs will root easily in summer.
b) [transitive usually passive] if a plant is rooted somewhere, it is held in the ground firmly by its roots:
a bush firmly rooted in the hard ground
root itself
Clumps of thyme had rooted themselves between the rocks.
2

be rooted in something

to have developed from something and be strongly influenced by it:
The country's economic troubles are rooted in a string of global crises.
This feeling of rejection is often deeply rooted in childhood.
3

search

[intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to search for something by moving things around [= rummage]
root through/in/amongst something (for something)
Leila rooted through her handbag for a pen.
4

pigs

[intransitive usually + adverb/preposition] if a pig roots somewhere, it looks for food under the ground
root for
pigs rooting for truffles
5

rooted to the spot/floor/ground etc

so shocked, surprised, or frightened that you cannot move:
She stood rooted to the spot, staring at him.

root for somebody

phrasal verb
1 to want someone to succeed in a competition, test, or difficult situation:
You can do it - I'm rooting for you.
2 especially American English to support a sports team or player by shouting and cheering:
the Los Angeles fans rooting for the Lakers

root something ↔ out

phrasal verb
1 to find out where a particular kind of problem exists and get rid of it:
Action is being taken to root out corruption in the police force.
2 to find something by searching for it:
I'll try and root out something for you to wear.

root something ↔ up

phrasal verb
DLG to dig or pull a plant up with its roots
Definition of root from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic PLANTS
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