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dragnet

noun
/ˈdɹæɡˌnɛt/US/ˈdɹeɪ̯ɡˌnɛt/

Etymology

From drag + net, probably based on the model of Middle English draynet, dreynett (“dragnet”), Old English dræġnet, dræġnett (“dragnet”), equivalent to dray + net. Cognate with Swedish dragnät, Norwegian dragnett, from Icelandic dragnet.

  1. derived from dræġnet
  2. derived from draynet

Definitions

  1. A net dragged across the bottom of a body of water.

  2. A heightened effort by law enforcement personnel undertaken in order to capture suspects.

  3. To drag a net across the bottom of a body of water.

    • When ponds are cleaned out periodically, fish are trapped or dragnetted and finally the pond is drained to remove all fish.
  4. ›+ 1 more definition

    1. To undertake a heightened effort to catch a suspect.

      • In fact, Carty was not the man, but, after a police swoop had dragnetted twenty men suspected of having taken part in the business, he was lodged in Sligo jail and accused of this violence to the lady.
      • A May Day anti-capitalist protest last year in Seattle saw clashes between police and protesters, and the FBI had been dragnetting potential anarchists.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for dragnet. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA