root about

root about (third-person singular simple present roots about, present participle rooting about, simple past and past participle rooted about)

1. (of a pig, literal) To forage by poking the snout here and there.
2. To search for something in a similar manner.
   • 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 271:

     Besides, the father would not give him leave to go, for he said it was no use his trying, who had so little sense; all he could do was to sit in a corner on the hearth, like a cat, rooting about in the ashes and cutting chips.

3. (figuratively) To rummage; to look for something in a somewhat aimless fashion.

   I'm rooting about for ideas for a novel

• As with most phrases which can contain both around and about, root around is more common in US usage and root about more common in the UK.

• (literally: to forage): root around
• (figuratively: to rummage): root around, rummage, rootle