root

root1 [ rut ] noun ***

▸ 1 part of plant

▸ 2 part of hair/tooth/nail

▸ 3 origins/background

▸ 4 main cause/idea

▸ 5 in mathematics

▸ 6 basic form of word

▸ 7 base of chord in music

▸ 8 end of nerve

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) count the part of a plant that grows under the ground, through which the plant gets water and food:

Olive trees have deep roots.

2. ) count the part of a hair, tooth, or nail that is under your skin

3. ) roots plural the place, culture, or family that someone comes from originally:

Computerizing these old records will help people trace their roots.

go back to your roots: With this latest book the author goes back to his Scottish roots.

a ) the origins or background of something:

What are the historical roots of the region's problems?

have its roots in something: The Association has its roots in the early 1950s.

4. ) count a basic cause or idea:

an unusual movie with an ingenious idea at its root

root of: We need to get to the root of the problem.

5. ) count the root of a number in mathematics is another number that, when multiplied by itself a particular number of times, equals that number. For example, 3 is the square root of 9 and the cube root of 27.

6. ) count LINGUISTICS the most basic form of a word, or a word that is the base for other words

7. ) count TECHNICAL the note that forms the base of a CHORD in music

8. ) count MEDICAL the end of a nerve that is closest to the center of your body

put down roots

1. ) to become a part of the community where you live by making friends and taking part in local activities

2. ) if a plant puts down roots, its roots become strong and established

root and branch

involving all parts:

The party wanted root and branch electoral reform.

take root

1. ) if a plant takes root, it begins to grow somewhere

2. ) if an idea, belief, or system takes root, it becomes established and accepted:

Compromise is essential if peace is to take root in this troubled area.

root

root 2 [ rut ] verb *

1. ) intransitive or transitive to grow roots or make a plant grow roots

2. ) intransitive to search for something by putting your hand deep into a place and pushing things around:

root among/through: She was desperately rooting through the papers on her desk.

root around: He rooted around in his coat pocket for some change.

a ) if an animal roots, it searches for food by pushing with its nose

`root for phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

root for someone to support someone in a game, competition, etc.

,root `out phrasal verb transitive

to find something bad or illegal and get rid of it:

The president vowed to root out corruption.

,root `up phrasal verb transitive

to pull a plant out of the ground, including its roots