ferret around
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To search for something by sorting through materials or (in the case of information) by speaking to contacts and following leads.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
tìm kiếm thứ gì đó bằng cách sắp xếp vật liệu hoặc thu thập thông tin
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Register: colloquial
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
We need to know more about this new chap. Why don't you go to his home town and ferret around a bit? See what you can come up with.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “ferret around” mean?
To search for something by sorting through materials or (in the case of information) by speaking to contacts and following leads.
Is “ferret around” formal or informal?
ferret around is generally colloquial.