root out

Meaning

1. 1

   root sth / sb out

   to find the person or thing that is causing a problem and remove or get rid of them

2. 2

   root sth / sb out

   to find sb / sth after searching for a long time

In the movies · 1

• Jane, I realize this is an unusual request, but if there is something illegal going on in this company, I need to know everything about it, so we can root out any wrongdoers.The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!1988

From the same entry

• put down roots
• root and branch
• take root
• root for
• root to
• root up