Explore

v. [ad. F. explore-r, ad. L. explōrā-re to search out.

  Usually explained as f. ex- out + plōrāre to make to flow, f. pluĕre to flow.]

  1.  trans. To investigate, seek to ascertain or find out (a fact, the condition of anything). Also with indirect question as obj.

1585.  Q. Eliz., in Four C. Eng. Lett., 29. Stratagems … by … sondry meanes to be explored.

1624.  Massinger, Renegado, V. iii. (1630), L. And as a cunning spie sent to explore The Cities strength, or weakenesse.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 47/72. Let the Learned Gard’ner … Explore the Nature of each sev’ral Tree.

1715–20.  Pope, Iliad, I. 84. Let some prophet … Explore the cause of great Apollo’s rage.

1823.  Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. xv. (1865), 120. Who or what sort of persons inherited Mackery End … we … determined some day to explore.

1862.  Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1871), V. xlii. 165. The imperator resolved to explore, disguised … the real temper of his soldiers.

  † b.  To search for; to find by searching; to search out. Obs.

1615.  Chapman, Odyss., II. 328/24. I now am bound; in purpose to explore My long lackt Father.

1700.  Dryden, Fables, Meleager & A., 201. With his pointed dart Explores the nearest passage to his heart.

1712.  Pope, Messiah, 51. The good shepherd … Explores the lost, the wandering sheep directs.

1769.  Goldsm., Hist. Rome (1786), I. 255. The Alps, over which he was to explore a new passage into Italy.

1822.  T. Taylor, Apuleius, 59. Exploring … a fit opportunity.

  ¶ To try, make proof of. (A Latinism.)

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 632. Satan … toward the Gates of Hell Explores his solitary flight.

  2.  To look into closely, examine into, scrutinize; to pry into (either a material or immaterial object). In later use colored by association with 3.

1592.  Davies, Immort. Soul (1869), I. 152. Her selfe in instants doth all things explore; For each thing’s present.

1729.  T. Cooke, Tales, Proposals, etc. 92. Some unexperienc’d Fool her Eyes explore.

1747.  Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), p. ix. They explored the several Kinds of … vegetable Substances.

a. 1800.  Cowper, Mischievous Bull. Wood-peckers explore the sides of rugged oaks for worms.

1817.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. viii. 683. Of no man … was the public conduct so completely explored.

1833.  Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. xi. (1865), 308. I digress into Soho to explore a bookstall.

1847.  Emerson, Poems (1857), 179. He looketh seldom in their face, His eyes explore the ground.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 440, note. The Dutch archives have been far too little explored.

  b.  To examine by touch; to probe (a wound). Cf. EXPLORATION 1 b.

1767.  Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 66. The finger is better than any instrument to explore some kinds of wounds.

1784.  Cowper, Task, IV. 361. The learned finger never need explore Thy vig’rous pulse.

1870.  Bryant, Iliad, I. IV. 114. The physician must explore thy wound.

  3.  esp. To search into or examine (a country, a place, etc.) by going through it; to go into or range over for the purpose of discovery.

1645.  Waller, Loving at First Sight, Poems 44.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., IV. 41/18. Another Typhis shall new Seas explore.

1733.  Pope, Ess. Man, III. 105. Who bid the stork, Columbus like, explore Heav’ns not his own?

1781.  Cowper, Retirement, 151. The busy race … explore Each creek.

1791.  Boswell, Johnson, 12 April, an. 1783. He … recommended us to explore Wapping.

1845.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 10. It is the old historical lands of Europe that the lover of history longs to explore.

1867.  Lady Herbert, Cradle L., vii. 194. We … spent a couple of hours resting and exploring the ruins.

  fig.  1869.  J. Martineau, Ess., II. 235. The Scottish school … entered the mind to explore it.

1868.  Max Müller, Chips, III. v. 118. He had explored the modern languages of Europe.

  b.  intr. To conduct operations in search for.

1872.  R. B. Smyth, Mining Statist., 27. A large expenditure of public money in exploring for coal.

  Hence Explored ppl. a.

1823.  Lamb, Elia (1860), 15. Some rotten archive, rummaged out of some seldom-explored press.