fossick — [fäs′ik] vi. [Eng dial., prob. ult. < FUSS] Austral. 1. to prospect or search, as for gold 2. to search about; rummage vt. to search for; seek out … English World dictionary
fossick — /ˈfɒsɪk / (say fosik) verb (i) 1. a. to search unsystematically or in a small way for mineral deposits, usually over ground previously worked by others. b. to search similarly for small items: to fossick through a drawer for scissors. 2. to… …
fossick — fossicker, n. /fos ik/, Chiefly Australian. v.i. 1. Mining. to undermine another s digging; search for waste gold in relinquished workings, washing places, etc. 2. to search for any object by which to make gain: to fossick for clients. v.t. 3. to … Universalium
fossick — verb a) To ferret out; to elicit information. In New South Wales the bureau has been able to dispose of a large contingent of the workless by sending them to fossick for gold on old or deserted goldfields. b) To search for gold, gems, etc., on… … Wiktionary
fossick — To search for gold. In the Cornish dialect, fossick means to obtain by asking, to ferret out . Cornish miners probably brought the term to Australia in the 1850s and used it to describe their search for gold. Australia inherited a number of… … Australian idioms
fossick — UK [ˈfɒsɪk] / US [ˈfɑsɪk] verb [intransitive] Word forms fossick : present tense I/you/we/they fossick he/she/it fossicks present participle fossicking past tense fossicked past participle fossicked Australian to look for something among a lot of … English dictionary
fossick — verb Etymology: English dialect fossick to ferret out Date: 1852 intransitive verb 1. Australian & New Zealand to search for gold or gemstones typically by picking over abandoned workings 2. chiefly Australian & New Zealand to search about ;… … New Collegiate Dictionary
Fossick — Recorded in many forms ashown below, this is an English surname of ancient and very confused origins. It almost certainly however spelt locational from any of at least three quite separate places. It is not thought to have been occupational from… … Surnames reference
fossick — fos•sick [[t]ˈfɒs ɪk[/t]] chiefly aus. 1) min brit. to search for waste gold in relinquished workings 2) brit. to rummage 3) brit. to ferret out • Etymology: 1850–55; cf. dial. fossick troublesome person fos′sick•er, n … From formal English to slang
fossick — v.intr. Austral. & NZ colloq. 1 (foll. by about, around) rummage, search. 2 search for gold etc. in abandoned workings. Derivatives: fossicker n. Etymology: 19th c.: cf. dial. fossick bustle about … Useful english dictionary
