Etymology Early Modern French rechercher (“to examine closely”), from Old French recerchier (“to seek, to look for”), by surface analysis, re- + search.
1
Dialectal, Usually Diligent inquiry or examination to seek or revise facts, principles, theories, applications, etc. (that are currently available, or that are familiar to one's self).
In an era when political leaders promise deliverance from decline through America’s purported preeminence in scientific research, the news that science is in deep trouble in the United States has been as unwelcome as a diagnosis of leukemia following the loss of health insurance.2012 January 23, Philip E. Mirowski, “Harms to Health from the Pursuit of Profits”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 04 Apr 2012, page 87:
The research station that houses Wang and his team is outside Lijiang, a city of about 1.2 million people.
2
Dated, Usually A particular instance or piece of research.
The dearest interests of parties have frequently been staked on the results of the researches of antiquaries.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter I, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
The first step I took in this so necessary a research, was to examine the motives, the justice, the necessity and expediency of the revolution[…]1747, The Scots magazine, volume 9, page 567:
1 more example
Although very numerous researches have been made on the differentiation of striped muscles, and on the termination of their motor nerve-fibres, yet the multifarious observations have often been too incomplete to lead to any but conflicting and unsatisfactory theories.1883 December, “Zoology. A. General, including Embryology and Histology of the Vertebrata. Development of Muscle-fibres and their Union with Nerves”, in Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, volume 3, number 6, page 821:
Etymology Early Modern French rechercher (“to examine closely”), from Old French recerchier (“to seek, to look for”), by surface analysis, re- + search.
1
To search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently.
2
To make an extensive investigation into.
3
To search again.
4
Business, Marketing To receive a certain response in market research.
Agency and bank staff told the newspaper the ad researched well.