rifle through
Rummage through quickly
To rifle through something is to search it quickly and carelessly, typically by moving things around or turning them over: She rifled through her purse looking for her keys, Someone had rifled through the filing cabinet.
The search is often hurried, messy, or unauthorized—distinct from a careful, methodical look.
- rummageSearch unsystematically through clutter
- searchAct of seeking
- digUnearth by shoveling
- siftSeparate coarse from fine
- look forTry to find
ransack · forage · scour · hunt · fumble · pillage · loot · plunder · drawers · junk drawer · filing cabinet · pockets · papers · documents · private papers · purse · frantic · desperate
- searchsearch, web search, seek, text search, hunt
- disruptdisrupt, disturb, upset, disorder, disorganize
- scavengingscavenging, rummage, foraging, forage, salvage
search method
rifle throughcomb through
Search systematically and thoroughly
peruse · scrutinize · pore over · study · sift through
treatment of items/space
rifle throughtidy up
Restore order to space
organize · arrange · put in order · straighten up · neaten