Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - seek

(seeks, seeking, sought) Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. 1. If you seek something such as a job or a place to live, you try to find one. (FORMAL) They have had to seek work as labourers... Four people who sought refuge in the Italian embassy have left voluntarily... Candidates are urgently sought for the post of Conservative party chairman. VERB: V n, V n, be V-ed for n 2. When someone seeks something, they try to obtain it. (FORMAL) The prosecutors have warned they will seek the death penalty... Haemophiliacs are seeking compensation for being given contaminated blood. VERB: V n, V n 3. If you seek someone’s help or advice, you contact them in order to ask for it. (FORMAL) Always seek professional legal advice before entering into any agreement... The couple have sought help from marriage guidance counsellors. VERB: V n, V n from n 4. If you seek to do something, you try to do it. (FORMAL) He also denied that he would seek to annex the country... VERB: V to-inf