root

I UK [ruːt] / US [rut] noun
Word forms "root":
singular root plural roots
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1) [countable] the part of a plant that grows under the ground, through which the plant gets water and food

Olive trees have deep roots.

2) [countable] the part of a hair, tooth, or nail that is under your skin

3)

a) roots

[plural] 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.

b) 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.

4) [countable] a basic cause or idea

an unusual film with an ingenious idea at its root

root of:

We need to get to the root of the problem.

5) [countable] maths the root of a number 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) [countable] linguistics the most basic form of a word, or a word that is the base for other words

7) [countable] music the note that forms the base of a chord in music

8) [countable] medical the end of a nerve that is closest to the centre of your body

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blush/flush to the roots of your hair — British to have a very red face because you are embarrassed

- put down roots

- root and branch

- take root

II UK [ruːt] / US [rut] verb
Word forms "root":
present tense I/you/we/they root he/she/it roots present participle rooting past tense rooted past participle rooted
*

1)

a) [intransitive] to search for something by putting your hand deep into a place and pushing things around

root around/about:

He rooted around in his coat pocket for some change.

root among/through:

She was desperately rooting through the papers on her desk.

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

2) [intransitive/transitive] to grow roots, or to make a plant grow roots

Phrasal verbs:

- root for

- root out

- root up