Collins English-English Dictionary

root [ruːt]

1. 1. n [maths] solution a number that when substituted for the variable satisfies a given equation

   2 is a root of x³ -- 2x -- 4 = 0

2. 2. n the organ of a higher plant that anchors the rest of the plant in the ground, absorbs water and mineral salts from the soil, and does not bear leaves or buds

3. 3. n (loosely) any of the branches of such an organ

4. 4. n any plant part, such as a rhizome or tuber, that is similar to a root in structure, function, or appearance

5. 5. n the essential, fundamental, or primary part or nature of something

   your analysis strikes at the root of the problem

6. 6. n (as modifier)

   the root cause of the problem

7. 7. vi. [intr] take root to put forth or establish a root and begin to grow

8. 8. n [anatomy] the embedded portion of a tooth, nail, hair, etc

9. 9. vi. [intr] take root to become established, embedded, or effective

10. 10. n origin or derivation, esp as a source of growth, vitality, or existence

11. 11. n [plural] a person's sense of belonging in a community, place, etc, esp the one in which he was born or brought up

12. 12. n an ancestor or antecedent

13. 13. n [Bible] a descendant

14. 14. n the form of a word that remains after removal of all affixes; a morpheme with lexical meaning that is not further subdivisible into other morphemes with lexical meaning - Compare stem

15. 15. n [maths] a number or quantity that when multiplied by itself a certain number of times equals a given number or quantity

    3 is a cube root of 27

16. 16. n [music] (in harmony) the note forming the foundation of a chord

17. 17. n [Austral and NZ] [slang] sexual intercourse

18. 18. vt. [tr] to fix or embed with or as if with a root or roots

19. 19. vt. [Austral and NZ] [slang] to have sexual intercourse (with)

20. 20. vt. See also root out roots root up

21. 21. vt. [Etymology] Old English rot, from Old Norse; related to Old English wyrt wort

root [ruːt]

1. 1. vi. [intr] (of a pig) to burrow in or dig up the earth in search of food, using the snout

2. 2. vi. [foll by about, around, in etc] [informal] to search vigorously but unsystematically

3. 3. vi. [Etymology] C16: changed (through influence of root¹) from earlier wroot, from Old English wrotan; related to Old English wrot snout, Middle Dutch wrote mole

root

1. 1. vi. [intr; usually foll by for] [informal] to give support to (a contestant, team, etc), as by cheering

2. 2. vi. [Etymology] C19: perhaps a variant of Scottish rout to make a loud noise, from Old Norse rauta to roar