Jan. 21st, 2010

fossick

Jan. 21st, 2010 07:16 am
[identity profile] prettygoodword.livejournal.com
fossick (FAW-sik, FAH-sik) - v.i., to rummage or search around, especially for a possible profit. v.t., to search for by or as if by rummaging.


Formerly, often specifically in mining situations, such as fossicking through mine tailings for gold or other minerals overlooked by the original miners. Primarily used in Australia and New Zealand, though I've heard it once or twice in the States. Originally English dialect (though what region, I'm not finding), first recorded around 1850 in the sense of find out, ferret out, dig up, possibly from fussick, to bustle about, making it related to fuss, as in making a.

Every time they reorganize our policies-and-procedures, I have to fossick a bit to find where they moved things.

---L.
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